cve.bz

CAPEC-136

LDAP Injection

High severityHigh likelihoodStandard pattern

An attacker manipulates or crafts an LDAP query for the purpose of undermining the security of the target. Some applications use user input to create LDAP queries that are processed by an LDAP server. For example, a user might provide their username during authentication and the username might be inserted in an LDAP query during the authentication process. An attacker could use this input to inject additional commands into an LDAP query that could disclose sensitive information. For example, entering a * in the aforementioned query might return information about all users on the system. This attack is very similar to an SQL injection attack in that it manipulates a query to gather additional information or coerce a particular return value.

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Show the promptExplain the attack pattern CAPEC-136: LDAP Injection: how it unfolds, what it needs and how to prevent and detect it in my systems. Use https://capec.mitre.org/data/definitions/136.html and https://cve.bz/cve/capec/136?via=ask-ai-copy, which lists recent CVEs with the weaknesses it exploits. Cite the sources.

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How the attack unfolds

  1. Explore

    The attacker looks for a way in.

    1. [Survey application] The attacker takes an inventory of the entry points of the application.

      2 techniques
      • Spider web sites for all available links
      • Sniff network communications with application using a utility such as WireShark.

  2. Experiment

    They probe what they found.

    1. [Determine user-controllable input susceptible to LDAP injection] For each user-controllable input that the attacker suspects is vulnerable to LDAP injection, attempt to inject characters that have special meaning in LDAP (such as a single quote character, etc.). The goal is to create a LDAP query with an invalid syntax

      3 techniques
      • Use web browser to inject input through text fields or through HTTP GET parameters
      • Use a web application debugging tool such as Tamper Data, TamperIE, WebScarab,etc. to modify HTTP POST parameters, hidden fields, non-freeform fields, or other HTTP header.
      • Use modified client (modified by reverse engineering) to inject input.

    2. [Try to exploit the LDAP injection vulnerability] After determining that a given input is vulnerable to LDAP Injection, hypothesize what the underlying query looks like. Possibly using a tool, iteratively try to add logic to the query to extract information from the LDAP, or to modify or delete information in the LDAP.

      2 techniques
      • Add logic to the LDAP query to change the meaning of that command. Automated tools could be used to generate the LDAP injection strings.
      • Use a web application debugging tool such as Tamper Data, TamperIE, WebScarab,etc. to modify HTTP POST parameters, hidden fields, non-freeform fields, or other HTTP header.

Prerequisites

  • The target application must accept a string as user input, fail to sanitize characters that have a special meaning in LDAP queries in the user input, and insert the user-supplied string in an LDAP query which is then processed.

Skills required

  • Medium skill

    The attacker needs to have knowledge of LDAP, especially its query syntax.

Consequences

What a successful attack can lead to
ImpactAffectsNote
Unreliable ExecutionAvailability
Modify DataIntegrity
Read DataConfidentiality
Execute Unauthorized CommandsAuthorizationRun Arbitrary Code
Gain PrivilegesAccountability, Authentication, Authorization, Non-Repudiation
Bypass Protection MechanismAccess Control, Authorization

Mitigations

  • Strong input validation - All user-controllable input must be validated and filtered for illegal characters as well as LDAP content.

  • Use of custom error pages - Attackers can glean information about the nature of queries from descriptive error messages. Input validation must be coupled with customized error pages that inform about an error without disclosing information about the LDAP or application.

Weaknesses it exploits

  • CWE-20 Improper Input Validation
  • CWE-77 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command
  • CWE-90 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an LDAP Query

Recent CVEs with these weaknesses

  1. 9.6CVE-2026-108186

    Improper Input Validation in Zoom Workplace for Windows may allow an unauthenticated user to conduct an escalation of privilege via network access.

  2. 4.9CVE-2026-105427

    Improper input validation in Ivanti EPMM before version 12.10.0.1, 12.9.0.3, and 12.8.0.5 allows a remote authenticated attacker with admin privileges to permanently disable all Apache HTTPS services resulting in denial of service.

  3. 6.7CVE-2026-105426

    Improper input validation in Ivanti EPMM before version 12.10.0.1, 12.9.0.3, and 12.8.0.5 allows a remote authenticated attacker with admin privileges to set arbitrary Linux kernel parameters as root.

  4. 4.3CVE-2026-123178

    An insufficient input validation vulnerability in the listed NETGEAR Orbi Models router allows an authenticated administrator connected to the local network to execute unauthorized commands and modify the router’s software and functionalit…

  5. –CVE-2026-111262

    The Jakarta Security LDAP identity store does not neutralize special characters in the caller name before using it in directory queries. A remote unauthenticated attacker can alter the queries to enumerate accounts, infer directory attribu…

  6. 6.3CVE-2026-125871

    The sourcecache expansion module in MISP Modules (misp-modules) contains a Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerability. When a user with permission to create or modify attributes of type 'link' or 'url' submits an attribute value, the…

  7. 8.8CVE-2026-12573

    Zoho Corporation ManageEngine DDI Central versions 6200 and below are vulnerable to Cisco IOS command injection via DHCP pool name leading to arbitrary commands on managed Cisco routers.

  8. 8.0CVE-2026-95646

    Zoho Corporation ManageEngine DDI Central versions 6500 and below are vulnerable to a Unicode-based command injection vulnerability in the Cisco IOS DHCP configuration functionality. This vulnerability could allow cluster-scoped operators …

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Part of

Examples

PowerDNS before 2.9.18, when running with an LDAP backend, does not properly escape LDAP queries, which allow…

PowerDNS before 2.9.18, when running with an LDAP backend, does not properly escape LDAP queries, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (failure to answer ldap questions) and possibly conduct an LDAP injection attack. See also: CVE-2005-2301

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