CVE-2016-15050
📋 TL;DR
Nagios XI versions before 5.2.4 contain a SQL injection vulnerability in the notification search feature. Authenticated users can manipulate database queries to access or modify notification data, potentially affecting the entire application database. This affects Nagios XI installations with users who have access to the notification search functionality.
💻 Affected Systems
- Nagios XI
📦 What is this software?
Nagios Xi by Nagios
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete database compromise allowing data exfiltration, modification, or deletion of all Nagios XI data including configuration, monitoring data, and credentials.
Likely Case
Unauthorized access to notification data and potentially other database tables accessible through SQL injection, leading to information disclosure and limited data manipulation.
If Mitigated
Limited impact to notification data only, with proper input validation and database permissions preventing escalation.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires authenticated access but SQL injection is straightforward once authenticated.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 5.2.4 and later
Vendor Advisory: https://www.nagios.com/changelog/nagios-xi/
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Backup current Nagios XI installation and database. 2. Download Nagios XI 5.2.4 or later from Nagios website. 3. Follow official upgrade documentation at https://assets.nagios.com/downloads/nagiosxi/docs/Upgrading-Nagios-XI.pdf. 4. Restart Nagios services after upgrade.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable notification search functionality
allRemove or restrict access to the vulnerable notification search feature
# Modify Nagios XI web interface to remove notification search access
# Adjust user permissions to restrict access to vulnerable component
Implement WAF rules
allAdd SQL injection detection and blocking rules to web application firewall
# Example ModSecurity rule: SecRule ARGS "@detectSQLi" "id:1001,phase:2,deny,status:403"
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network segmentation to isolate Nagios XI from sensitive systems
- Apply principle of least privilege to Nagios XI database user accounts
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Nagios XI version via web interface admin panel or command: cat /usr/local/nagiosxi/var/xiversionCheck Version:
cat /usr/local/nagiosxi/var/xiversionVerify Fix Applied:
Confirm version is 5.2.4 or higher and test notification search functionality with SQL injection test payloads📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual database queries in Nagios logs
- Multiple failed login attempts followed by notification search activity
- SQL syntax errors in application logs
Network Indicators:
- Unusual database connection patterns from Nagios XI server
- Large data transfers from Nagios XI database
SIEM Query:
source="nagios.log" AND ("sql" OR "syntax" OR "union" OR "select")