CVE-2025-13214
Summary
CVE-2025-13214 is a high-severity SQL injection vulnerability affecting IBM Aspera Orchestrator versions 4.0.0 through 4.1.0. A remote attacker can exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary SQL commands, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion within the back-end database.
Technical Details
This SQL injection vulnerability exists because the IBM Aspera Orchestrator application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before incorporating it into SQL queries. An attacker can craft malicious SQL statements within input fields or parameters that are processed by the application's database interaction layer. By injecting these specially crafted SQL commands, the attacker can bypass intended security controls and directly interact with the database.
The vulnerability allows an attacker to perform actions such as retrieving sensitive data, modifying existing records, inserting new records, or even deleting entire tables. The specific impact depends on the database privileges associated with the account used by the application to connect to the database.
Affected Products and Versions
- IBM Aspera Orchestrator 4.0.0
- IBM Aspera Orchestrator 4.0.1
- IBM Aspera Orchestrator 4.0.2
- IBM Aspera Orchestrator 4.1.0
Impact Assessment
Successful exploitation of CVE-2025-13214 can have severe consequences for organizations using affected versions of IBM Aspera Orchestrator.
- Data Breach Risk: Attackers can gain unauthorized access to sensitive data stored in the database, including customer information, financial records, and proprietary business data.
- System Compromise: In some cases, the attacker may be able to leverage the SQL injection vulnerability to gain control of the underlying operating system or other systems connected to the database server.
- Reputation Damage: A successful data breach can severely damage an organization's reputation and erode customer trust.
- Financial Loss: Organizations may incur significant financial losses due to data breach remediation costs, legal fees, and regulatory fines.
Remediation
Immediate Actions
- Apply the Security Patch: Upgrade to a patched version of IBM Aspera Orchestrator that addresses the SQL injection vulnerability. Refer to the IBM security advisory for specific patch details and download instructions.
- Monitor System Logs: Closely monitor system logs for suspicious activity, such as unusual database queries or unauthorized access attempts.
- Review Access Controls: Ensure that database access controls are properly configured and that users have only the necessary privileges.
Long-term Solutions
- Input Validation: Implement robust input validation and sanitization techniques to prevent SQL injection attacks.
- Parameterized Queries: Use parameterized queries or prepared statements to separate SQL code from user-supplied data.
- Web Application Firewall (WAF): Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) to detect and block malicious SQL injection attempts.
- Regular Security Audits: Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing to identify and address potential vulnerabilities.
References
Detection & Scanning
This SQL injection vulnerability can be detected using various security scanning tools and techniques. Vulnerability scanners can identify potential SQL injection points by analyzing web application code and simulating attack payloads. Manual penetration testing can also be used to identify and exploit the vulnerability.
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