CVE-2019-8979
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2019-8979 is a SQL injection vulnerability in Kohana PHP framework that allows attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands by controlling the order_by() parameter. This affects all Kohana applications using vulnerable versions where user input reaches this parameter. Attackers can potentially read, modify, or delete database content.
💻 Affected Systems
- Kohana PHP Framework
📦 What is this software?
Kohana by Kohanaframework
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete database compromise including data theft, data manipulation, privilege escalation, and potential remote code execution through database functions.
Likely Case
Data exfiltration from database, authentication bypass, or data manipulation depending on application structure.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper input validation and parameterized queries in place.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user input to reach the order_by() parameter, which is common in sorting/filtering functionality.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 3.3.7 and later
Vendor Advisory: https://github.com/kohana/kohana/releases/tag/v3.3.7
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Update Kohana to version 3.3.7 or later. 2. Replace all instances of order_by() with proper parameterized queries. 3. Review code for any custom implementations that might bypass framework protections.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Input Validation and Sanitization
allImplement strict input validation for all parameters passed to order_by() method
Parameterized Queries
allReplace vulnerable order_by() calls with prepared statements or ORM methods
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to block SQL injection patterns
- Restrict database user permissions to minimum required for application functionality
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if Kohana version is 3.3.6 or earlier and if order_by() method accepts user input without validation.Check Version:
Check Kohana version in application files or via phpinfo() if configured.Verify Fix Applied:
Verify Kohana version is 3.3.7 or later and review code to ensure order_by() uses parameterized queries.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual SQL queries in database logs
- Multiple failed login attempts after order_by parameter manipulation
- Unexpected ORDER BY clauses in application logs
Network Indicators:
- SQL error messages in HTTP responses
- Unusual parameter values in order_by requests
SIEM Query:
search 'order_by' AND ('sql' OR 'error' OR 'syntax') in web server logs