CVE-2018-25204: Library CMS SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2018-25204 Overview

CVE-2018-25204 is a SQL injection vulnerability in Library CMS 1.0 that allows unauthenticated attackers to bypass authentication by injecting malicious SQL code through the username parameter. Attackers can send POST requests to the admin login endpoint with boolean-based blind SQL injection payloads in the username field to manipulate database queries and gain unauthorized administrative access to the content management system.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can completely bypass authentication controls and gain administrative access to the Library CMS application, potentially compromising all stored data and system functionality.

Affected Products

• Library CMS 1.0
• Library Management System in PHP and MySQL

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-26 - CVE-2018-25204 published to NVD
• 2026-03-26 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2018-25204

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL injection vulnerability (CWE-89) exists in the authentication mechanism of Library CMS 1.0. The application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input in the username parameter before incorporating it into SQL queries. This allows attackers to inject arbitrary SQL statements that alter the intended query logic, enabling authentication bypass without valid credentials.

The vulnerability is classified as a boolean-based blind SQL injection, meaning attackers can infer information about the database by observing application behavior changes based on true/false conditions injected into queries. This technique allows attackers to manipulate the authentication query to always return true, granting access regardless of the actual credentials provided.

The attack requires no prior authentication and can be executed remotely over the network, making it particularly dangerous for internet-facing installations of Library CMS.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is improper input validation and the use of unsanitized user input directly in SQL query construction. The admin login functionality concatenates user-supplied username values directly into SQL statements without using parameterized queries or prepared statements, allowing SQL metacharacters to escape the intended string context and modify query logic.

Attack Vector

The attack is executed by sending a crafted POST request to the admin login endpoint. The attacker injects SQL code into the username field that manipulates the authentication query's WHERE clause. Using boolean-based blind injection techniques, the attacker can construct payloads that cause the query to return a valid administrator record regardless of the password provided.

For example, an attacker might inject a payload that appends an always-true condition (such as ' OR '1'='1) to the username parameter, causing the authentication query to match records unexpectedly. Technical details and proof-of-concept information are available in the Exploit-DB #44728 entry and the VulnCheck Advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2018-25204

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual POST requests to admin login endpoints containing SQL syntax characters such as single quotes, OR operators, or comment sequences
• Multiple failed or anomalous login attempts with usernames containing special characters like ', --, or OR
• Database logs showing malformed or unexpected queries originating from the authentication module
• Successful administrative logins from unknown IP addresses or at unusual times

Detection Strategies

• Deploy web application firewalls (WAF) with SQL injection detection rules to inspect POST parameters for injection patterns
• Implement application-level logging to capture and alert on login attempts containing SQL metacharacters
• Monitor database query logs for authentication queries with unexpected syntax or always-true conditions
• Use intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures for common SQL injection payloads targeting login forms

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging on the web server and database to capture full request details and query execution
• Configure alerts for authentication anomalies such as logins without corresponding valid credential verification
• Regularly review access logs for patterns indicating automated SQL injection scanning or exploitation attempts
• Implement real-time monitoring dashboards to track login success/failure ratios and flag sudden changes

How to Mitigate CVE-2018-25204

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict access to the admin login page by IP address or implement additional authentication layers
• Deploy a web application firewall with SQL injection protection rules in front of the Library CMS installation
• Review application logs for evidence of prior exploitation attempts and investigate any suspicious administrative access
• Consider taking the application offline if it processes sensitive data until proper remediation can be implemented

Patch Information

No official vendor patch information is available in the CVE data. Organizations should contact the Library CMS vendor or check the WeCodex product page for updates. If the product is no longer maintained, migration to a supported content management system is strongly recommended.

Workarounds

• Implement input validation at the application level to reject usernames containing SQL metacharacters
• Use a web application firewall to filter malicious input before it reaches the application
• Apply network segmentation to limit access to the admin interface from trusted networks only
• Modify the application code to use parameterized queries or prepared statements for all database interactions

# Example WAF rule for ModSecurity to block SQL injection attempts
SecRule ARGS:username "@rx (?i)(\b(or|and)\b\s+\d+\s*=\s*\d+|'\s*(or|and)\s*'|--\s*$)" \
    "id:100001,phase:2,deny,status:403,log,msg:'SQL Injection Attempt Detected in Username'"