CVE-2019-25748: Joomla JHotelReservation SQLi Vulnerability

CVE-2019-25748 Overview

CVE-2019-25748 is a SQL injection vulnerability [CWE-89] in the Joomla JHotelReservation extension version 6.0.7. The flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary SQL through the rooms parameter on the search-hotels endpoint. Successful exploitation enables extraction of sensitive database content, including schema details and stored credentials.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated remote attackers can execute arbitrary SQL queries against the backend database by sending crafted POST requests, exposing confidential data stored within the Joomla site.

Affected Products

Joomla JHotelReservation extension version 6.0.7
Joomla sites using the CMS Junkie JHotelReservation booking module
Web applications integrating the vulnerable search-hotels endpoint

Discovery Timeline

2026-06-19 - CVE-2019-25748 published to NVD
2026-06-22 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2019-25748

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in how the JHotelReservation extension processes the rooms parameter submitted to the search-hotels endpoint. The application concatenates user-supplied input directly into a SQL statement without parameterization or input sanitization. Attackers can submit POST requests containing SQL syntax that the database engine then executes as part of the original query.

The issue is classified under CWE-89, Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command. Because the endpoint does not require authentication, exploitation can occur directly from the public internet. Confirmed exploitation techniques include UNION-based extraction of database version strings and table contents, as documented in Exploit-DB #46234.

Root Cause

The root cause is the absence of prepared statements or parameterized queries in the search-hotels request handler. The rooms parameter is interpolated into a database query string, allowing SQL metacharacters to alter query structure. No server-side validation enforces type, length, or character restrictions on the parameter before it reaches the database layer.

Attack Vector

Attackers send unauthenticated POST requests to the search-hotels endpoint with a crafted rooms parameter containing SQL payloads. Payloads typically use UNION SELECT statements to append attacker-controlled result sets to the legitimate query. The response discloses database content including the MySQL version banner and arbitrary table data accessible to the Joomla database user. See the VulnCheck Advisory on Joomla for additional exploitation context.

Detection Methods for CVE-2019-25748

Indicators of Compromise

POST requests to /search-hotels containing SQL keywords such as UNION, SELECT, SLEEP, or INFORMATION_SCHEMA in the rooms parameter
Unusual database error messages in Joomla or PHP logs referencing the JHotelReservation component
Web server access logs showing repeated requests to the booking endpoint from a single source IP with varying payload lengths
Spikes in outbound database query volume from the Joomla host

Detection Strategies

Deploy web application firewall rules that flag SQL metacharacters in the rooms POST parameter
Correlate Joomla access logs with database query logs to identify anomalous queries originating from the booking module
Monitor for HTTP 500 responses or extended response times on /search-hotels requests, which often indicate injection probing

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable verbose query logging on the database backend serving the Joomla site
Alert on any access to INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES or mysql.user from the Joomla database account
Track baseline request volumes to the JHotelReservation endpoints and alert on deviations

How to Mitigate CVE-2019-25748

Immediate Actions Required

Disable the JHotelReservation extension until a patched version is verified and deployed
Restrict access to the /search-hotels endpoint at the web server or WAF layer
Audit the Joomla database for unauthorized data access or modified records
Rotate database credentials used by the Joomla installation if exploitation is suspected

Patch Information

No official vendor patch is referenced in the NVD entry. Administrators should consult the CMS Junkie Resource and the Joomla Extension Listing for updated versions of the JHotelReservation extension. Upgrade to the latest available release and verify that the search-hotels handler uses parameterized queries.

Workarounds

Place a web application firewall in front of the Joomla site with rules blocking SQL injection patterns in POST bodies
Apply least-privilege permissions to the Joomla database account, removing access to system schemas and unrelated tables
Implement input validation at the reverse proxy layer to reject rooms parameter values containing non-alphanumeric characters

bash

# Example ModSecurity rule blocking SQL keywords in the rooms parameter
SecRule ARGS:rooms "@rx (?i)(union|select|sleep|information_schema|--|;)" \
    "id:1002748,phase:2,deny,status:403,\
    msg:'CVE-2019-25748 JHotelReservation SQLi attempt',\
    logdata:'Matched value: %{MATCHED_VAR}'"