CVE-2019-25260: OXID eShop SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2019-25260 Overview

CVE-2019-25260 is a SQL injection vulnerability affecting OXID eShop versions 6.x prior to 6.3.4. The vulnerability exists in the sorting parameter and allows unauthenticated attackers to inject malicious database content. Through crafted URLs, attackers can manipulate the sorting parameter to inject PHP code into the database, ultimately achieving arbitrary code execution on vulnerable systems.

Critical Impact

This SQL injection vulnerability can be chained with additional techniques to achieve Remote Code Execution (RCE), allowing attackers to completely compromise affected e-commerce installations and potentially access sensitive customer data, payment information, and backend systems.

Affected Products

• OXID eShop 6.x versions prior to 6.3.4
• OXID eShop Community Edition (oxideshop_ce)
• OXID eShop Professional and Enterprise Editions

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-03 - CVE CVE-2019-25260 published to NVD
• 2026-02-04 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2019-25260

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-89 (SQL Injection), a critical web application security flaw that occurs when user-supplied input is incorporated into SQL queries without proper sanitization or parameterization. In the context of OXID eShop, the sorting parameter accepts user input that is directly used in database queries without adequate validation.

The attack surface is network-accessible and requires no authentication, making it particularly dangerous for internet-facing e-commerce deployments. The vulnerability allows attackers to not only extract sensitive data from the database but also to write malicious content, including PHP code, which can then be triggered to achieve remote code execution.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability lies in improper input validation and insufficient sanitization of the sorting parameter within the OXID eShop application. When processing sort requests, the application fails to properly escape or parameterize user-controlled input before incorporating it into SQL statements. This lack of input validation allows attackers to break out of the intended SQL context and inject arbitrary SQL commands.

Additionally, the vulnerability chain to RCE is possible because injected PHP code stored in the database can later be interpreted and executed by the application under certain conditions, demonstrating insufficient separation between data and executable code.

Attack Vector

The attack is conducted over the network by manipulating the sorting parameter in HTTP requests to the vulnerable OXID eShop installation. Attackers craft malicious URLs containing SQL injection payloads designed to:

1. Insert malicious PHP code into database fields that are later rendered or processed by the application
2. Modify existing database records to include executable code
3. Extract sensitive information through error-based or blind SQL injection techniques

The vulnerability requires no user interaction and no prior authentication, making it exploitable by any attacker with network access to the target system. The attack can be fully automated, increasing the risk of mass exploitation.

For detailed technical analysis of the exploitation technique, refer to the VulnSpy Analysis on OXID eShop and the Ripstech Blog Post on OXID eSales for comprehensive documentation of the attack methodology.

Detection Methods for CVE-2019-25260

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual or malformed values in the sorting parameter within web server access logs
• Database entries containing PHP code or suspicious executable content in unexpected fields
• Unexpected file modifications or new files created in the web application directory
• Anomalous database queries containing SQL injection patterns such as UNION SELECT, INTO OUTFILE, or encoded PHP payloads

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns in the sorting parameter
• Monitor web server logs for requests containing suspicious characters such as single quotes, semicolons, or SQL keywords in sorting parameters
• Deploy database activity monitoring to detect unusual query patterns or unauthorized data modifications
• Use file integrity monitoring to detect unauthorized changes to PHP files or creation of new files in the webroot

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging on OXID eShop installations and forward logs to a centralized SIEM for analysis
• Configure alerts for database queries that deviate from expected patterns, particularly those involving the sorting functionality
• Implement real-time monitoring for outbound connections from the web server that may indicate successful exploitation
• Regularly audit database content for signs of injected malicious code or unauthorized modifications

How to Mitigate CVE-2019-25260

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade OXID eShop to version 6.3.4 or later immediately to address this vulnerability
• If immediate upgrade is not possible, implement WAF rules to block malicious requests targeting the sorting parameter
• Conduct a thorough review of database content and application files for signs of existing compromise
• Restrict network access to the OXID eShop administration interface and limit public exposure where possible

Patch Information

OXID eSales has addressed this vulnerability in OXID eShop version 6.3.4. Organizations running affected versions should upgrade to the patched release as soon as possible. The official bug report is available at the OXID eSales Bug Report #7002. Additional security advisory information can be found at the VulnCheck Security Advisory for OXID eShop. The source code and updates are available at the GitHub OXID eShop Repository.

Workarounds

• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to filter and block SQL injection attempts targeting sorting parameters
• Implement input validation at the reverse proxy or load balancer level to reject requests with suspicious sorting parameter values
• Consider temporarily disabling or restricting access to features that utilize the sorting functionality until patches can be applied
• Place the application behind a VPN or IP whitelist to limit exposure to potential attackers

# Example WAF rule for ModSecurity to block SQL injection in sorting parameter
SecRule ARGS:sorting "@rx (?i:union|select|insert|update|delete|drop|;|--|')" \
    "id:1001,phase:2,deny,status:403,log,msg:'SQL Injection attempt in sorting parameter'"