Overview
The ubiquity of SQL databases in modern web applications makes SQL injection vulnerabilities a widespread threat to cybersecurity. The CVE-2025-36527 vulnerability in Zohocorp ManageEngine ADAudit Plus is a recent and pertinent example of such a threat. ADAudit Plus versions below 8511 are affected, making a potentially significant number of systems vulnerable to attack.
The severity of this issue cannot be overstated. With a CVSS Severity Score of 8.3, it presents a substantial risk of system compromise or data leakage. As a cybersecurity professional, it’s crucial to understand this vulnerability, its potential impact, and importantly, how to mitigate it.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-36527
Severity: High (8.3 CVSS Score)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: Required
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
Zohocorp ManageEngine ADAudit Plus | < 8511 How the Exploit Works
The exploit takes advantage of an SQL injection vulnerability in Zohocorp ManageEngine ADAudit Plus, specifically in its report exporting functionality. This vulnerability allows an attacker to inject malicious SQL code into the application. The SQL code is then executed by the database, potentially leading to unauthorized access, data modification or even full system compromise.
Conceptual Example Code
In a conceptual instance of this exploit, the attacker might send a maliciously crafted HTTP POST request to the vulnerable endpoint. The SQL injection payload could be embedded within the request parameters.
POST /ADAuditPlus/exportReport HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.com
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
reportId=1; DROP TABLE users;In this hypothetical example, the SQL command `DROP TABLE users;` is injected into the `reportId` parameter. If the vulnerability exists and the payload is executed, it could result in the deletion of the ‘users’ table from the database.
Mitigation
The most effective mitigation for this vulnerability is to apply the vendor-supplied patch. Zohocorp has addressed this vulnerability in ADAudit Plus version 8511, so users are strongly encouraged to upgrade to this version or later.
As a temporary mitigation, users can employ a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) to detect and block SQL injection attacks. However, this should not be seen as a long-term solution, as it does not address the underlying vulnerability within the software.