CVE-2019-25497: osCommerce SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2019-25497 Overview

osCommerce 2.3.4.1 contains a SQL injection vulnerability that allows unauthenticated attackers to manipulate database queries by injecting SQL code through the currency parameter. Attackers can send GET requests to shopping_cart.php with malicious currency values using boolean-based SQL injection payloads to extract sensitive database information.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can extract sensitive database information including customer credentials, payment details, and administrative data through boolean-based SQL injection attacks.

Affected Products

• osCommerce 2.3.4.1
• osCommerce versions prior to patched releases
• E-commerce deployments running vulnerable osCommerce installations

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-27 - CVE CVE-2019-25497 published to NVD
• 2026-03-04 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2019-25497

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL injection vulnerability (CWE-89) exists in the shopping_cart.php file of osCommerce 2.3.4.1. The application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input in the currency parameter before incorporating it into SQL queries. This allows attackers to inject arbitrary SQL statements that are executed by the database server with the application's privileges.

The vulnerability is classified as a boolean-based blind SQL injection, meaning attackers can infer database contents by observing differences in application responses when injecting true versus false conditions. This technique allows systematic extraction of database contents without requiring direct query output.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper input validation and lack of parameterized queries in the currency handling functionality. The currency GET parameter is directly concatenated into SQL queries without sanitization, escaping, or use of prepared statements. This violates secure coding practices and allows attackers to break out of the intended query context.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and requires no authentication or user interaction. Attackers send specially crafted HTTP GET requests to shopping_cart.php with malicious SQL payloads in the currency parameter. The boolean-based injection technique works by appending conditional statements that alter query behavior based on whether conditions evaluate to true or false, allowing attackers to extract data one bit at a time.

The vulnerability allows attackers to read sensitive database contents including customer information, credentials, and potentially administrative accounts. For technical exploitation details, refer to the Exploit-DB #46328 advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2019-25497

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual or malformed values in the currency parameter containing SQL syntax such as quotes, AND, OR, UNION, or comment sequences
• High volume of requests to shopping_cart.php with varying currency parameter values
• Database error messages or anomalous application behavior following currency parameter manipulation
• Web server logs showing sequential requests with boolean conditions in query strings

Detection Strategies

• Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect SQL injection patterns in the currency parameter
• Implement database query logging and alerting for unusual query patterns or errors
• Monitor for automated scanning tools targeting osCommerce installations
• Configure intrusion detection systems with signatures for SQL injection attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging for shopping_cart.php and analyze currency parameter values
• Set up alerts for database errors that may indicate injection attempts
• Monitor network traffic for known SQL injection tool signatures
• Review database audit logs for unauthorized data access patterns

How to Mitigate CVE-2019-25497

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade osCommerce to the latest patched version immediately
• Implement input validation and parameterized queries for all user-supplied inputs
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with SQL injection protection rules
• Review database accounts and restrict application database privileges to minimum required

Patch Information

Consult the osCommerce Official Website for official patches and updated releases. Review the VulnCheck osCommerce SQL Injection Advisory for additional technical guidance on remediation.

Workarounds

• Implement strict input validation on the currency parameter to accept only known valid currency codes
• Deploy WAF rules to block requests containing SQL injection patterns in query parameters
• Consider temporarily disabling or restricting access to shopping_cart.php if immediate patching is not possible
• Implement database connection pooling with read-only accounts where write access is not required

# Example WAF rule configuration for ModSecurity
SecRule ARGS:currency "@rx (\b(and|or|union|select|insert|update|delete|drop)\b|['\";]|--)" \
    "id:100001,phase:2,deny,status:403,msg:'SQL Injection attempt in currency parameter'"