CVE-2025-5170: Llisoft MTA Maita SQL Injection Flaw

CVE-2025-5170 Overview

A critical SQL injection vulnerability has been identified in Llisoft MTA Maita Training System version 4.5. This vulnerability affects the AdminShitiListRequestVo function within the com\llisoft\controller\admin\shiti\AdminShitiController.java file. The flaw allows attackers to manipulate the stTypeIds argument to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the underlying database. The attack can be initiated remotely by authenticated users, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers with low privileges can exploit this SQL injection vulnerability to compromise database integrity, extract sensitive information, or potentially escalate their access within the MTA Maita Training System.

Affected Products

• Llisoft MTA Maita Training System version 4.5

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-05-26 - CVE-2025-5170 published to NVD
• 2025-06-03 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-5170

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL injection vulnerability stems from improper input validation in the administrative controller component of the MTA Maita Training System. The vulnerable function AdminShitiListRequestVo fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input in the stTypeIds parameter before incorporating it into SQL queries. This allows attackers to inject malicious SQL statements that are then executed by the database engine with the application's privileges.

The vulnerability is exploitable over the network and requires only low-level authentication to execute. The impact extends to confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the data managed by the training system, though the scope is limited to the vulnerable component itself.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is improper input validation (CWE-89: SQL Injection) combined with insufficient output encoding (CWE-74: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component). The stTypeIds parameter in the AdminShitiController.java file does not undergo proper sanitization or parameterized query handling before being used in database operations. User-controlled input is directly concatenated into SQL statements without escaping special characters or using prepared statements.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and requires the attacker to have valid credentials with at least low-level privileges in the system. An attacker can craft malicious requests to the administrative interface, injecting SQL commands through the stTypeIds parameter. The exploitation technique typically involves manipulating list or array-type parameters that are commonly used in "IN" clauses within SQL queries.

The vulnerability in AdminShitiController.java likely processes type ID selections without proper validation, allowing injection payloads to break out of the intended query structure and execute arbitrary SQL commands. Common attack patterns include UNION-based injection to extract data from other tables, boolean-based blind injection to enumerate database contents, or time-based blind injection when direct output is not available.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-5170

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual SQL error messages appearing in application logs from the /admin/shiti/ endpoint
• Abnormal database query patterns containing SQL keywords like UNION, SELECT, OR 1=1 in the stTypeIds parameter
• Unexpected database access or data exfiltration attempts originating from the web application server
• Authentication bypass attempts or privilege escalation activities following requests to the admin controller

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect SQL injection patterns in HTTP request parameters
• Monitor application logs for requests to AdminShitiController containing suspicious characters such as single quotes, semicolons, or SQL keywords
• Deploy database activity monitoring to detect anomalous query patterns or unauthorized data access
• Enable detailed logging on the Java application server to capture request parameters for forensic analysis

Monitoring Recommendations

• Configure alerts for repeated failed database queries that may indicate injection attempts
• Establish baseline query patterns for the affected controller and alert on deviations
• Monitor for unusual data transfers from the database server that could indicate successful exploitation
• Implement real-time log analysis to correlate web requests with database activity

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-5170

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict network access to the administrative interface of MTA Maita Training System to trusted IP addresses only
• Implement additional authentication controls for the affected admin functionality
• Deploy Web Application Firewall rules to block common SQL injection attack patterns
• Review and audit all user accounts with access to the administrative interface

Patch Information

The vendor (Llisoft) was contacted about this vulnerability disclosure but did not respond. As of the last update on 2025-06-03, no official patch has been released. Organizations using this software should implement the workarounds described below and monitor for vendor updates through the VulDB entry and other security resources.

Workarounds

• Implement input validation at the application gateway level to sanitize the stTypeIds parameter before it reaches the application
• Deploy a reverse proxy with SQL injection filtering capabilities in front of the application
• Restrict database user permissions used by the application to minimize the impact of successful exploitation
• Consider implementing prepared statements or parameterized queries through application-level modifications if source code access is available
• Isolate the MTA Maita Training System database from other critical systems to limit lateral movement

# Example WAF rule configuration for ModSecurity
# Add to your ModSecurity configuration to block SQL injection attempts
SecRule ARGS:stTypeIds "@detectSQLi" \
    "id:1001,\
    phase:2,\
    deny,\
    status:403,\
    log,\
    msg:'SQL Injection Attempt Blocked - CVE-2025-5170'"