CVE-2018-25206: KomSeo Cart SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2018-25206 Overview

CVE-2018-25206 is an SQL injection vulnerability affecting KomSeo Cart version 1.3, an e-commerce shopping cart application. The vulnerability exists in the edit.php script, which fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input through the my_item_search parameter. Attackers can exploit this flaw by sending specially crafted POST requests containing malicious SQL payloads to extract sensitive database information using boolean-based blind or error-based injection techniques.

Critical Impact

Successful exploitation allows attackers to bypass authentication, extract sensitive data from the database including customer information and credentials, and potentially modify or delete database contents.

Affected Products

• KomSeo Cart 1.3

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-26 - CVE CVE-2018-25206 published to NVD
• 2026-03-26 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2018-25206

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL injection vulnerability (CWE-89) occurs due to improper neutralization of special elements used in an SQL command. The edit.php script directly incorporates user input from the my_item_search POST parameter into database queries without adequate sanitization or parameterized queries.

The vulnerability can be exploited through two primary techniques: boolean-based blind SQL injection and error-based SQL injection. Boolean-based blind injection allows attackers to infer database contents by observing application behavior differences based on true or false SQL conditions. Error-based injection leverages database error messages to extract data directly.

As a network-accessible vulnerability, attackers can exploit this remotely without requiring authentication, making it particularly dangerous for internet-facing KomSeo Cart installations.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2018-25206 is insufficient input validation and the use of dynamic SQL query construction. The my_item_search parameter in edit.php accepts user input that is directly concatenated into SQL statements without proper escaping, parameterization, or input sanitization. This allows attackers to break out of the intended query context and inject arbitrary SQL commands.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, requiring no user interaction or privileges. An attacker sends a malicious POST request to the edit.php endpoint with a crafted my_item_search parameter value containing SQL injection payloads. The application processes the request, executes the malicious SQL commands against the database, and returns results that can reveal sensitive information.

For example, an attacker could submit boolean-based payloads to systematically extract database contents character by character, or use error-based techniques to have the database reveal data directly in error messages. Technical details and proof-of-concept examples are available in the Exploit-DB #44753 entry.

Detection Methods for CVE-2018-25206

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual POST requests to edit.php containing SQL syntax characters such as single quotes, double dashes, semicolons, or UNION keywords in the my_item_search parameter
• Web server logs showing repeated requests to edit.php with varying parameter values indicating brute-force data extraction attempts
• Database logs showing unexpected queries, syntax errors, or queries returning unusually large result sets
• Evidence of data exfiltration or unauthorized database modifications

Detection Strategies

• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) configured with SQL injection detection rules to monitor and block malicious requests to edit.php
• Implement application-level logging to capture and alert on anomalous parameter values in POST requests
• Configure database audit logging to detect suspicious query patterns, including UNION-based queries or queries targeting system tables
• Use intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures for common SQL injection attack patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

• Monitor web server access logs for high-frequency requests to edit.php from single IP addresses
• Set up alerts for database queries that access sensitive tables like user credentials or payment information
• Review application error logs for SQL syntax errors that may indicate injection attempts
• Implement rate limiting on the edit.php endpoint to slow down automated exploitation attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2018-25206

Immediate Actions Required

• Remove or disable public access to the edit.php script until a proper fix can be implemented
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall with SQL injection protection rules to filter malicious requests
• Implement IP-based access controls to restrict access to administrative functions
• Review database logs for signs of compromise and audit sensitive data tables

Patch Information

No official vendor patch information is currently available for CVE-2018-25206. Organizations using KomSeo Cart 1.3 should consider migrating to a maintained e-commerce platform with active security support. Additional advisory information is available from the VulnCheck Advisory on Komseo Cart.

Workarounds

• Modify the edit.php script to use parameterized queries or prepared statements instead of dynamic SQL construction
• Implement input validation to whitelist allowed characters in the my_item_search parameter
• Apply the principle of least privilege to the database user account used by the application to limit potential damage from SQL injection
• Consider placing the application behind a reverse proxy with request filtering capabilities

# Example: Apache mod_security rule to block SQL injection attempts
SecRule ARGS:my_item_search "@detectSQLi" \
    "id:1001,\
    phase:2,\
    deny,\
    status:403,\
    log,\
    msg:'SQL Injection attempt detected in my_item_search parameter'"