Brinztech Alert: Alleged CMS Database of a Chinese News Portal is on Sale

Dark Web News Analysis

A threat actor on a known cybercrime forum is advertising the alleged sale of a “fresh” database belonging to a Chinese news portal. The dataset includes both user and administrator tables and is being sold for a relatively low price of $290.

Brinztech Analysis:

• Target Profile: The low price ($290) suggests the victim is likely a mid-tier industry news site or regional portal rather than a top-tier state media giant. These sites often run on common Chinese Content Management Systems (CMS) like DedeCMS, PHPCMS, or Discuz!, which are frequent targets for SQL Injection (SQLi) attacks.
• Data Fields: The specific fields listed—user IDs, add_ip, last_ip, content, and timestamps—are characteristic of user tracking and content logging tables in these specific CMS architectures.
  • add_ip / last_ip: These fields are used to track user locations and activity, a critical requirement for compliance with China’s strict cybersecurity laws. Their exposure is a significant privacy risk.
• Admin Compromise: The inclusion of “administrative details” (likely the admin_user table) is the most critical aspect. It implies the attacker has “root” access to the portal’s publishing system.

Key Cybersecurity Insights

This alleged data breach presents a unique threat profile given the geopolitical context:

• Surveillance & Tracking Risk: In the context of China’s strict internet governance, a leak containing IP addresses linked to specific user IDs and content history is highly sensitive. It effectively de-anonymizes users and exposes their reading or commenting habits, potentially putting dissidents or critics at risk.
• Disinformation & Watering Hole Potential: Access to the admin database allows an attacker to modify news content, inject disinformation, or plant malicious JavaScript (a “watering hole” attack) to infect the devices of visitors who trust the news site.
• Regulatory Impact: This breach would likely trigger China’s Cybersecurity Law (CSL) and Data Security Law (DSL). The platform operator faces severe penalties for failing to protect user logs and administrative access.
• Commoditized Cybercrime: The low price point indicates that even “fresh” access to media platforms is becoming a commodity item, lowering the barrier to entry for actors who might use it for SEO spam, defacement, or malvertising.

Mitigation Strategies

In response to this claim, the compromised entity and similar media platforms must take immediate action:

• CMS Security Audit: Immediately audit the version of the CMS in use (DedeCMS, Discuz!, etc.). Patch all known SQL Injection and Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerabilities. Ensure the /admin or /dede (default admin) directories are renamed or restricted by IP.
• Administrator Credential Reset: Force a reset of all administrator passwords. Check the database for any new, unauthorized admin accounts created by the attacker to maintain persistence.
• Log Analysis: Review server logs for suspicious POST requests to login pages or strange SQL queries that align with the timestamp of the alleged leak.
• Implement a WAF: Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) specifically configured to block common CMS exploit vectors and SQL injection attempts.

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