Overview
The CVE-2018-25205 vulnerability affected ASP.NET jVideo Kit 1.0 and is categorized under CWE-89 (SQL Injection). In real-world terms, unauthenticated attackers could target the /search endpoint by supplying crafted input through the query parameter and cause the application to execute unintended SQL commands. This could lead to data leakage, authentication bypass, or even full compromise of the database schema. The vulnerability manifested when the application built SQL statements by concatenating user input directly into the query string, making the resulting SQL executable by the database. The impact could be severe, enabling attackers to perform boolean-based blind or error-based data extraction to enumerate tables, columns, and data without requiring valid credentials. The guidance here references CVE-2018-25205 and discusses how such injection patterns arise in ASP.NET Core apps and how to remediate them in real-world code.
In ASP.NET Core, this class of vulnerability typically appears when raw user input is interpolated into SQL strings or when a micro-ORM or ADO.NET path fails to parameterize queries. Attackers can submit input via GET or POST to endpoints like /search, manipulating the query to alter logic (e.g., OR 1=1) or to provoke database errors that reveal information. The safe remedy is to eliminate string concatenation with user data and rely on parameterized queries or ORM-generated queries that handle parameterization automatically. This approach reduces risk regardless of the data access technology used (EF Core, Dapper, or plain ADO.NET). By applying proper parameterization and input handling, ASP.NET Core applications can defend against this class of injections and reduce the likelihood of data exposure.
Remediation focuses on adopting parameterized data access patterns, leveraging EF Core or properly parameterized ADO.NET calls, validating inputs, and following least-privilege principles. For the affected jVideo Kit scenario, upgrading to a patched version or replacing the component with a secure alternative is recommended. In addition, implement robust error handling to avoid leaking database details, enable secure logging, and validate inputs to limit accepted patterns. After applying these changes, security testing with injection-focused tooling should show no unsafe query constructions and no exploitable patterns.
Affected Versions
ASP.NET jVideo Kit 1.0
Code Fix Example
ASP.NET Core API Security Remediation
// Vulnerable pattern (unsafe):
[HttpGet("searchVuln")]
public async Task<IActionResult> SearchVuln(string query)
{
using (var conn = new SqlConnection(_connectionString))
{
await conn.OpenAsync();
// Vulnerable: direct string concatenation of user input into SQL
var sql = "SELECT Id, Title FROM Videos WHERE Title LIKE '%" + query + "%'";
using (var cmd = new SqlCommand(sql, conn))
{
using (var reader = await cmd.ExecuteReaderAsync())
{
var results = new List<object>();
while (await reader.ReadAsync())
{
results.Add(new { Id = reader.GetInt32(0), Title = reader.GetString(1) });
}
return Ok(results);
}
}
}
}
// Fixed pattern (safe):
[HttpGet("searchFix")]
public async Task<IActionResult> SearchFix(string query)
{
using (var conn = new SqlConnection(_connectionString))
{
await conn.OpenAsync();
// Safe: parameterized query
var sql = "SELECT Id, Title FROM Videos WHERE Title LIKE @q";
using (var cmd = new SqlCommand(sql, conn))
{
cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@q", "%" + query + "%");
using (var reader = await cmd.ExecuteReaderAsync())
{
var results = new List<object>();
while (await reader.ReadAsync())
{
results.Add(new { Id = reader.GetInt32(0), Title = reader.GetString(1) });
}
return Ok(results);
}
}
}
}
// Alternative EF Core approach (safe):
// public async Task<IActionResult> SearchWithEf(string query)
// {
// var results = await _db.Videos
// .Where(v => EF.Functions.Like(v.Title, "%" + query + "%"))
// .Select(v => new { v.Id, v.Title })
// .ToListAsync();
// return Ok(results);
// }