How to Fix Joomla 3.2 to 3.4.4 Core – SQL Injection vulnerability

If you are a Joomla user, just UPGRADE it to the latest version, here or download new installation package here.

Joomla officials have announced a new release Joomla! 3.4.5 is now available. Joomla core packages 3.2 to 3.4.4 are vulnerable to a critical vulnerability – SQL injection. The newly released Joomla version fixes the SQL injection vulnerability.

The vulnerability doesn’t require any extensions for exploitation as it is directly spotted in the core package of the Joomla. This is a most critical bug which allows unauthenticated and remote exploitation. The SQL injection vulnerable file is located at /administrator/components/com_contenthistory/models/history.php (option=com_contenthistory&view=history). The vulnerable code resides into the getListQuery() protected function.

We recommend to all users to update to latest version and harden the Joomla setup / Joomla installed on your server. If you are a hosting provider and installed Softaculous, from the cPanel you can directly upgrade Joomla installation.

Recommended Steps

1. Change the default administrator username
2. Protect directories and files – Project administrator directory with .htaccess protection. For details on protection implementation click here
3. Disable Unneeded Functions & Classes e.g. : eval(),  system(), show_source, system, shell_exec, passthru,  exec,  phpinfo,  proc_open,  popen,  eval, and highlight_file
4. Turn off display_errors from PHP.ini
5. Limit Administrator Panel Access by allowing only trusted set of IP addresses
6. Configure open_basedir from PHP.ini
7. Disable file upload, if reqruied. Webmaster can uploads the files using FTP.
8. Disable Remote Includes from PHP.ini

Technical Information

Trustwave team discovered this vulnerability and has already released detailed documentations, it is strongly recommended to read it.

Trustwave SpiderLabs recommends that ALL Joomla users update their Joomla installations to version 3.4.5. Version 3.4.5 is dedicated to fixing this security issue and was released Thursday, October 22 at approximately 14:00 UTC.