CVE-2020-27235
📋 TL;DR
This is an authenticated SQL injection vulnerability in OpenClinic GA's 'getAssets.jsp' page that allows attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands through the description parameter. Attackers with valid credentials can potentially access, modify, or delete database content. This affects OpenClinic GA version 5.173.3 installations.
💻 Affected Systems
- OpenClinic GA
📦 What is this software?
Openclinic Ga by Openclinic Ga Project
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete database compromise leading to data theft, data destruction, or remote code execution via database functions.
Likely Case
Unauthorized data access and extraction of sensitive patient/medical records from the database.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper input validation, parameterized queries, and database permission restrictions.
🎯 Exploit Status
SQL injection via authenticated HTTP request to getAssets.jsp with malicious description parameter.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 5.173.4 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2020-1207
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download latest OpenClinic GA version from official source. 2. Backup current installation and database. 3. Deploy updated version following vendor documentation. 4. Restart application services.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Input Validation Filter
allImplement server-side input validation to reject SQL special characters in description parameter.
Add input validation in getAssets.jsp or application filter
WAF Rule
allDeploy web application firewall rules to block SQL injection patterns.
ModSecurity rule: SecRule ARGS:description "@detectSQLi" "id:1001,phase:2,deny"
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict database user permissions with least privilege principle.
- Deploy network segmentation to isolate OpenClinic from other critical systems.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Test authenticated request to getAssets.jsp with SQL injection payload in description parameter.Check Version:
Check OpenClinic version in web interface or application files.Verify Fix Applied:
Attempt SQL injection test after patch - should receive error or no database interaction.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual SQL queries in database logs
- Multiple failed login attempts followed by getAssets.jsp access
Network Indicators:
- HTTP POST requests to getAssets.jsp with SQL keywords in parameters
SIEM Query:
source="web_logs" AND uri="/getAssets.jsp" AND (description CONTAINS "UNION" OR description CONTAINS "SELECT" OR description CONTAINS "--")