CVE-2018-6394
📋 TL;DR
This is a critical SQL injection vulnerability in InviteX 3.0.5 component for Joomla! that allows attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the invite_type parameter. Attackers can potentially access, modify, or delete database content. All Joomla! sites using the vulnerable InviteX component are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- InviteX component for Joomla!
📦 What is this software?
Invitex by Techjoomla
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete database compromise leading to data theft, privilege escalation, authentication bypass, and potential remote code execution via database functions.
Likely Case
Unauthorized data access, user information theft, and potential site defacement through database manipulation.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper input validation and parameterized queries preventing SQL injection.
🎯 Exploit Status
Public exploit code available on Exploit-DB. Exploitation requires access to the vulnerable endpoint with view=invites action.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 3.0.6 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://www.joomla.org/announcements/release-news/
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Update InviteX component to version 3.0.6 or later. 2. Log into Joomla! admin panel. 3. Navigate to Components > InviteX. 4. Check for updates or manually install updated component. 5. Verify component version after update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Input Validation Filter
allAdd input validation to sanitize invite_type parameter before processing
Modify component code to validate/sanitize invite_type parameter using Joomla! JFilterInput class
Access Restriction
allRestrict access to vulnerable endpoint using .htaccess or web server configuration
Add 'Deny from all' to .htaccess for vulnerable component directory or restrict via web server ACLs
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable or uninstall InviteX component immediately
- Implement web application firewall (WAF) with SQL injection protection rules
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Joomla! admin panel for InviteX component version. If version is 3.0.5, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
Check Joomla! admin panel: Components > InviteX > About or version informationVerify Fix Applied:
Verify InviteX component version is 3.0.6 or later in Joomla! admin panel.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual SQL error messages in logs
- Multiple requests with invite_type parameter containing SQL syntax
- Access attempts to view=invites endpoint with suspicious parameters
Network Indicators:
- HTTP requests containing SQL keywords in invite_type parameter
- Unusual database connection patterns from web server
SIEM Query:
source="web_logs" AND (uri="*view=invites*" AND (param="*invite_type=*SELECT*" OR param="*invite_type=*UNION*" OR param="*invite_type=*OR*"))