CVE-2019-25439: NoviSmart CMS SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2019-25439 Overview

NoviSmart CMS contains an SQL injection vulnerability that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL queries by injecting malicious code through the Referer HTTP header field. Attackers can craft requests with time-based SQL injection payloads in the Referer header to extract sensitive database information or cause denial of service.

Critical Impact

This SQL injection vulnerability enables unauthenticated remote attackers to extract sensitive database contents, modify data, and potentially achieve full database compromise through the Referer HTTP header.

Affected Products

• NoviSmart CMS (all versions)

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-22 - CVE CVE-2019-25439 published to NVD
• 2026-02-23 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2019-25439

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability falls under CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command), commonly known as SQL Injection. The flaw exists in how NoviSmart CMS processes the HTTP Referer header without proper input sanitization before incorporating it into SQL queries.

The network-based attack vector allows remote exploitation without authentication. The vulnerability enables attackers to achieve high confidentiality impact by extracting sensitive database information and low integrity impact through potential data modification. The attack complexity is low, meaning no special conditions or prerequisites are required for exploitation.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper input validation and sanitization of the Referer HTTP header field. When processing incoming HTTP requests, NoviSmart CMS logs or processes the Referer header value directly in SQL queries without escaping special characters or using parameterized queries. This allows SQL metacharacters to be interpreted as SQL syntax rather than data.

Attack Vector

The attack is executed remotely over the network without requiring authentication. An attacker sends crafted HTTP requests to the vulnerable NoviSmart CMS installation with malicious SQL payloads embedded in the Referer header. Time-based blind SQL injection techniques can be used to extract data character-by-character by observing response delays.

The vulnerability allows attackers to inject SQL commands through the Referer HTTP header field. When the CMS processes this header value, the malicious SQL payload is executed against the backend database. Time-based injection payloads cause deliberate delays in database responses, allowing attackers to infer information about the database structure and contents. For detailed technical information and proof-of-concept details, see the Exploit-DB #47152 entry and the VulnCheck Advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2019-25439

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual Referer header values containing SQL keywords such as SELECT, UNION, SLEEP, WAITFOR, or BENCHMARK
• HTTP requests with abnormally long Referer header values
• Database query logs showing unexpected delays or time-based functions
• Error messages in application logs indicating SQL syntax errors from Referer processing

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to inspect and block Referer headers containing SQL injection patterns
• Configure intrusion detection systems (IDS) to alert on HTTP requests with SQL metacharacters in header fields
• Enable detailed logging of all HTTP headers and correlate with database query execution times
• Deploy runtime application self-protection (RASP) solutions to detect and block SQL injection attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Monitor web server access logs for requests with suspicious Referer header patterns
• Track database query execution times for anomalies indicative of time-based SQL injection
• Alert on failed SQL queries that reference Referer-related processing functions
• Implement baseline monitoring for normal Referer patterns and alert on deviations

How to Mitigate CVE-2019-25439

Immediate Actions Required

• Implement input validation and sanitization for all HTTP header fields, including the Referer header
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall with SQL injection protection rules
• Use parameterized queries or prepared statements for all database interactions
• Consider disabling or removing functionality that processes the Referer header if not critical

Patch Information

No vendor patch information is currently available in the CVE data. Organizations should check with the NoviSmart CMS vendor for security updates or consider alternative CMS solutions. For the latest information, refer to the VulnCheck Advisory.

Workarounds

• Configure WAF rules to strip or sanitize the Referer header before it reaches the application
• Implement database-level restrictions to limit the privileges of the CMS database account
• Use network segmentation to isolate the CMS from sensitive database systems
• Enable database auditing to detect and respond to unauthorized query execution

# Example WAF rule configuration (ModSecurity)
SecRule REQUEST_HEADERS:Referer "@rx (?i)(select|union|insert|update|delete|drop|sleep|benchmark|waitfor)" \
    "id:1001,phase:1,deny,status:403,msg:'SQL Injection attempt in Referer header'"