CVE-2016-7400

critical

Published 2017-02-07 · Modified 2026-05-13

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CVSS v3

9.8

CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS v4 NEW

—

not yet in upstream

VIR risk

10.0

Description

Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in Exponent CMS before 2.4.0 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the (1) id parameter in an activate_address address controller action, (2) title parameter in a show blog controller action, or (3) content_id parameter in a showComments expComment controller action.

Predictions

Exploit likelihood

97%

Patch ETA

—

Heuristic predictions, AS-IS, for prioritization only.

Mitigations

No mitigations published for this CVE yet.

The vendor-content worker queues fetches as references arrive (check back in a few minutes). Or — if you've already worked around this in production — publish your fix to the community-verified tier.

✚ Propose a mitigation on Community → Mitigations published via the community go through AI scoring + 2 human reviewers + 7-day silent objection window before landing here with source_tier=community-verified.

Exploits

Public proof-of-concept code below. AS-IS, for defenders and authorised testing only.

Exploit-DB

EDB-40412 webapps php text · 3 KB

Manuel García Cárdenas · 2016-09-22

Exponent CMS 2.3.9 - Blind SQL Injection

text exploit Source: Exploit-DB

=============================================
MGC ALERT 2016-005
- Original release date: September 09, 2016
- Last revised:  September 20, 2016
- Discovered by: Manuel GarcAa CA!rdenas
- Severity: 7,1/10 (CVSS Base Score)
- CVE-ID: CVE-2016-7400
=============================================

I. VULNERABILITY
-------------------------
Blind SQL Injection in Exponent CMS <= v2.3.9

II. BACKGROUND
-------------------------
Exponent CMS is a free, open source, open standards modular enterprise
software framework and content management system (CMS) written in the
programming language PHP.

III. DESCRIPTION
-------------------------
This bug was found using the portal in the index.php page.

To exploit the vulnerability only is needed use the version 1.0 of the HTTP
protocol to interact with the application.

It is possible to inject SQL code in the "index.php" page
"/exponent/index.php".

IV. PROOF OF CONCEPT
-------------------------
The following URL have been confirmed to all suffer from Blind SQL
injection and Time Based SQL Injection.

Blind SQL Injection POC:

/exponent/index.php'%20or%201%3d1--%20

/exponent/index.php'%20or%201%3d2--%20

Time Based SQL Injection POC:

/exponent/index.php'%20OR%20SLEEP(1)--%20   (2 seconds of response)

/exponent/index.php'%20OR%20SLEEP(30)--%20   (30 seconds of response)

V. BUSINESS IMPACT
-------------------------
Public defacement, confidential data leakage, and database server
compromise can result from these attacks. Client systems can also be
targeted, and complete compromise of these client systems is also possible.

VI. SYSTEMS AFFECTED
-------------------------
Exponent CMS <= v2.3.9

VII. SOLUTION
-------------------------
Vendor fix the vulnerability:
http://www.exponentcms.org/news/updated-patches-released-for-v2-1-4-and-v2-2-3-1473726129-0.50310400

VIII. REFERENCES
-------------------------
http://www.exponentcms.org/

IX. CREDITS
-------------------------
This vulnerability has been discovered and reported
by Manuel GarcAa CA!rdenas (advidsec (at) gmail (dot) com).

X. REVISION HISTORY
-------------------------
September 09, 2016 1: Initial release
September 20, 2016 2: Revision to send to lists

XI. DISCLOSURE TIMELINE
-------------------------
September 09, 2016 1: Vulnerability acquired by Manuel Garcia Cardenas
September 09, 2016 2: Send to vendor
September 12, 2016 3: Vendor fix vulnerability
September 20, 2016 4: Send to the Full-Disclosure lists

XII. LEGAL NOTICES
-------------------------
The information contained within this advisory is supplied "as-is" with no
warranties or guarantees of fitness of use or otherwise.

XIII. ABOUT
-------------------------
Manuel Garcia Cardenas
Pentester

Application impact

Vendor	Product	Versions	Fixed
exponentcms	exponent_cms	`{"endIncluding":"2.3.9"}`

References

CWEs

CWE-89

Community-verified mitigations for this CVE will appear above when contributors publish them.

Verify integrity in audit chain (admin only). AS-IS.