CVE-2024-50713: Smart Agent SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2024-50713 Overview

CVE-2024-50713 is a SQL injection vulnerability discovered in SmartAgent v1.1.0, a network monitoring and quality of experience (QoE) solution developed by Smarts-SRL. The vulnerability exists in the id parameter at the /tests/interface.php endpoint, allowing unauthenticated attackers to inject malicious SQL queries and potentially compromise the underlying database.

Critical Impact

This SQL injection vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands without authentication, potentially leading to complete database compromise, data exfiltration, and unauthorized system access.

Affected Products

• SmartAgent Pro v1.1.0
• SmartAgent QoE v1.1.0
• smarts-srl smart_agent v1.1.0

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-12-27 - CVE-2024-50713 published to NVD
• 2025-04-21 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-50713

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL injection vulnerability occurs when user-supplied input through the id parameter is not properly sanitized before being incorporated into SQL queries. The affected endpoint /tests/interface.php accepts the id parameter and passes it directly to database queries without adequate input validation or parameterized query implementation.

The vulnerability is exploitable over the network without any authentication requirements or user interaction. An attacker can craft malicious SQL statements that get executed by the database server with the same privileges as the application's database user. This can result in unauthorized access to sensitive data, modification or deletion of database records, and potentially full system compromise if the database user has elevated privileges.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is improper input validation and the use of unsanitized user input in SQL queries (CWE-89: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command). The application fails to implement proper input sanitization, prepared statements, or parameterized queries when handling the id parameter, allowing attackers to break out of the intended query structure and inject arbitrary SQL commands.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, requiring no authentication or user interaction. An attacker can send specially crafted HTTP requests to the vulnerable /tests/interface.php endpoint with malicious SQL syntax in the id parameter. The injected SQL commands are then executed by the database server, potentially allowing the attacker to:

• Extract sensitive data from the database
• Modify or delete existing records
• Bypass authentication mechanisms
• Execute administrative operations on the database
• Potentially gain access to the underlying operating system through database features like xp_cmdshell (MSSQL) or LOAD_FILE/INTO OUTFILE (MySQL)

The vulnerability exploitation involves sending crafted requests to the /tests/interface.php endpoint with SQL injection payloads in the id parameter. For detailed technical information about this vulnerability, refer to the Packet Storm security advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-50713

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual database queries or errors in application logs originating from /tests/interface.php
• HTTP requests to /tests/interface.php containing SQL syntax characters such as single quotes, double dashes, UNION, SELECT, or OR 1=1
• Unexpected database query patterns or data access from the SmartAgent application
• Database logs showing injection attempts or unusual query structures

Detection Strategies

• Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns in the id parameter
• Implement application-level logging to monitor all requests to /tests/interface.php for suspicious input
• Configure intrusion detection systems (IDS) to alert on SQL injection signatures in HTTP traffic
• Enable database query logging to identify anomalous or malicious SQL statements

Monitoring Recommendations

• Monitor web server access logs for requests to /tests/interface.php with unusual parameter values
• Set up alerts for database errors or exceptions that may indicate injection attempts
• Review database audit logs for unauthorized data access or administrative operations
• Implement real-time monitoring for traffic patterns indicating automated SQL injection attacks

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-50713

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict network access to the SmartAgent /tests/interface.php endpoint using firewall rules or access control lists
• Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with SQL injection protection rules
• If possible, disable or remove the vulnerable /tests/interface.php endpoint until a patch is available
• Review database permissions and ensure the application uses least-privilege database accounts

Patch Information

Check with Smarts-SRL for the latest security updates and patches for SmartAgent. Organizations should monitor vendor communications for an official fix addressing this SQL injection vulnerability in the id parameter handling.

Workarounds

• Deploy a reverse proxy or WAF to filter and block SQL injection attempts targeting the id parameter
• Implement IP whitelisting to restrict access to the SmartAgent interface to trusted networks only
• Consider disabling the /tests/interface.php endpoint if it is not critical for operations
• Apply network segmentation to isolate SmartAgent from sensitive database resources

# Example: Block access to vulnerable endpoint using Apache .htaccess
<Files "interface.php">
    <If "%{REQUEST_URI} =~ m#/tests/interface\.php#">
        Require ip 10.0.0.0/8
        Require ip 192.168.0.0/16
    </If>
</Files>