CVE-2023-53975
📋 TL;DR
Atom CMS 2.0 contains an unauthenticated SQL injection vulnerability that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands without authentication. Attackers can manipulate database queries through the 'id' parameter on the admin index page, potentially leading to data theft, modification, or deletion. All Atom CMS 2.0 installations are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Atom CMS
📦 What is this software?
Atomcms by Thedigitalcraft
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete database compromise including data exfiltration, privilege escalation, and potential remote code execution if database functions allow it.
Likely Case
Data theft from the database, including user credentials, sensitive content, and configuration data.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper input validation and parameterized queries preventing SQL injection.
🎯 Exploit Status
Public exploit code available; time-based blind SQL injection requires some skill but tools automate exploitation.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Unknown
Vendor Advisory: None available
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
No official patch available. Consider migrating to a maintained CMS or implementing custom fixes with parameterized queries.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Input Validation Filter
allAdd server-side validation to sanitize the 'id' parameter to accept only numeric values.
Modify admin/index.php to validate $_GET['id'] with is_numeric() or filter_var()
Web Application Firewall (WAF)
allDeploy WAF rules to block SQL injection patterns in the 'id' parameter.
Add WAF rule: deny requests with SQL keywords in id parameter
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict access to admin pages using IP whitelisting or authentication requirements.
- Monitor database logs for unusual query patterns and implement rate limiting on vulnerable endpoints.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Test with payload: admin/index.php?id=1' AND SLEEP(5)-- - and check for delayed response.Check Version:
Check Atom CMS version in admin panel or readme files.Verify Fix Applied:
Test same payload; should return error or normal response without delay.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual SQL errors in web server logs
- Multiple requests with SQL keywords in id parameter
- Long response times from admin/index.php
Network Indicators:
- HTTP requests to admin/index.php with SQL injection payloads
- Unusual database query patterns from web server IP
SIEM Query:
source="web_logs" AND uri="/admin/index.php" AND (id="*'*" OR id="*AND SLEEP*" OR id="*UNION*" OR id="*SELECT*" OR id="*FROM*" OR id="*WHERE*")