CVE-2001-0527 in DCForum
Summary
by MITRE
DCScripts DCForum versions 2000 and earlier allow a remote attacker to gain additional privileges by inserting pipe symbols (|) and newlines into the last name in the registration form, which will create an extra entry in the registration database.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/13/2024
This vulnerability exists in DCScripts DCForum versions 2000 and earlier where the application fails to properly sanitize user input during the registration process. The flaw specifically occurs when processing the last name field in user registration forms, allowing attackers to inject special characters including pipe symbols and newlines that manipulate the database insertion logic. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that do not properly handle or escape characters that have special meaning in database operations. This weakness enables an attacker to craft malicious input that can alter the intended database structure during record creation, potentially leading to unauthorized privilege escalation or data manipulation. The vulnerability is classified as a form of input injection attack that exploits the lack of proper data sanitization in the application's user registration module.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves crafting a last name field containing pipe characters and newline sequences that can cause the database insertion process to interpret the input as multiple separate entries or commands. When the application processes this malformed input, the database engine may execute the injected characters as part of the SQL or database command structure, creating additional database records or altering the intended insertion behavior. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of data sanitization failures and can be categorized as a form of command injection or data manipulation attack. The flaw represents a classic case of insufficient input validation where the application assumes that user input will conform to expected formats without proper sanitization checks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation to potentially compromise the entire registration database integrity. Attackers could exploit this weakness to create additional user accounts with elevated privileges, manipulate existing user records, or even gain unauthorized access to administrative functions within the forum system. The vulnerability affects the fundamental data integrity and access control mechanisms of the application, potentially allowing unauthorized users to bypass normal authentication and authorization processes. This weakness could enable attackers to establish persistent access points within the forum environment and could be used as a stepping stone for further attacks against the broader system infrastructure. The vulnerability directly impacts the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the forum's user management system.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require implementing comprehensive input validation and sanitization measures across all user input fields, particularly those used in database operations. Organizations should implement proper escaping of special characters including pipe symbols, newlines, and other control characters before processing user input. The application should employ parameterized queries or prepared statements to prevent injection attacks, while also implementing proper input length restrictions and character set validation. Regular security audits should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in legacy applications, and input sanitization should be enforced at multiple layers of the application architecture. This vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to standards such as those outlined in the CWE catalog under categories related to input validation and data sanitization. Organizations should also implement proper access controls and monitoring mechanisms to detect unauthorized database modifications that could result from exploitation of this type of vulnerability.