CVE-2019-25518: Jettweb PHP Script SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2019-25518 Overview

CVE-2019-25518 is a SQL Injection vulnerability affecting Jettweb PHP Hazir Haber Sitesi Scripti V1, a Turkish news site content management system. The vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to manipulate database queries by injecting malicious SQL code through the poll parameter in POST requests to arama.php. This flaw can be exploited to extract sensitive data, modify database contents, or potentially compromise the entire backend database.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated SQL injection enabling data exfiltration and database manipulation without any authentication requirements.

Affected Products

• Jettweb PHP Hazir Haber Sitesi Scripti V1

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-12 - CVE-2019-25518 published to NVD
• 2026-03-12 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2019-25518

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL Injection vulnerability (CWE-89) exists due to improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL commands. The arama.php script accepts user input through the poll parameter without adequate sanitization or parameterized query handling, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary SQL statements that are executed directly against the backend database.

The attack can be performed remotely over the network with low complexity, requiring no authentication or user interaction. An attacker can achieve high confidentiality impact by extracting sensitive data from the database, and the integrity of database contents can also be compromised through malicious modifications.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the failure to properly sanitize user-supplied input before incorporating it into SQL queries. The arama.php endpoint directly concatenates the poll parameter value into database queries without using prepared statements or input validation, creating a classic SQL injection attack surface.

Attack Vector

The attack is performed by sending a crafted POST request to the arama.php endpoint with a malicious SQL payload in the poll parameter. Since the application does not require authentication to access this functionality, any remote attacker can exploit this vulnerability. The attacker can use standard SQL injection techniques such as UNION-based injection, boolean-based blind injection, or time-based blind injection to extract data or manipulate the database.

The vulnerability manifests in the search functionality endpoint (arama.php). Attackers send POST requests containing malicious SQL syntax in the poll parameter, which gets incorporated directly into database queries without sanitization. Technical details and proof-of-concept information can be found in the Exploit-DB #46597 advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2019-25518

Indicators of Compromise

• POST requests to arama.php containing SQL keywords such as UNION, SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, or DROP in the poll parameter
• Unusual database query patterns or errors in application logs indicating SQL syntax issues
• Evidence of data exfiltration or unauthorized database modifications in audit logs

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns in POST requests to arama.php
• Monitor HTTP traffic for suspicious payloads containing SQL metacharacters such as single quotes, semicolons, and comment sequences (--, /**/)
• Enable database query logging and alert on anomalous query patterns or execution failures

Monitoring Recommendations

• Review web server access logs for repeated POST requests to arama.php with varying parameter values that may indicate injection attempts
• Set up alerts for database errors that may indicate failed SQL injection attempts
• Monitor for unusual data access patterns or bulk data retrieval from the database

How to Mitigate CVE-2019-25518

Immediate Actions Required

• Remove or disable the vulnerable arama.php endpoint if the search functionality is not critical
• Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with SQL injection detection rules as a temporary protective measure
• Restrict network access to the vulnerable application until a proper fix can be deployed
• Review database permissions to limit the potential impact of SQL injection attacks

Patch Information

No official vendor patch information is available for this vulnerability. The affected software, Jettweb PHP Hazir Haber Sitesi Scripti V1, does not appear to have an active vendor providing security updates. Organizations using this software should consider migrating to a supported content management system or implementing custom code fixes.

For additional technical details, refer to the VulnCheck SQL Injection Advisory.

Workarounds

• Implement server-side input validation to filter and reject malicious SQL characters and keywords from the poll parameter
• Modify the vulnerable code to use prepared statements with parameterized queries instead of string concatenation
• Deploy a reverse proxy or WAF to filter malicious requests before they reach the application
• Apply the principle of least privilege to database accounts used by the application

The following example demonstrates input sanitization that could be applied as a workaround. Note that migrating to prepared statements is the recommended long-term solution:

# Input sanitization workaround (recommended: use prepared statements instead)
# Sanitize the poll parameter before use
$poll = mysqli_real_escape_string($connection, $_POST['poll']);
# Better approach: Use prepared statements
$stmt = $connection->prepare("SELECT * FROM polls WHERE id = ?");
$stmt->bind_param("s", $_POST['poll']);
$stmt->execute();