CVE-2002-0963 in GeekLog
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in comment.php for GeekLog 1.3.5 and earlier allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive user information via the pid parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-0963 represents a critical sql injection flaw within the comment.php script of GeekLog version 1.3.5 and earlier. This vulnerability resides in the handling of the pid parameter which is used to retrieve and display comments associated with specific articles or content items. The flaw allows remote attackers to inject malicious sql commands through the pid parameter, potentially enabling unauthorized access to sensitive user data stored within the application's database.
This sql injection vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration CWE-89 which specifically addresses improper neutralization of special elements used in sql commands. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the comment.php script where user-supplied input from the pid parameter is directly incorporated into sql queries without proper escaping or parameterization. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious pid values that manipulate the sql execution flow to extract unauthorized data from the database.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft as it enables attackers to potentially access sensitive user information including usernames, email addresses, and other personal details stored in the GeekLog database. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates without requiring authentication, making it accessible to any remote attacker who can identify the vulnerable application. This could result in widespread privacy violations and potential identity theft if user credentials or personal information is compromised. The attack surface is further expanded as the vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 1.3.5, indicating this was a long-standing flaw that persisted across multiple releases.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security improvements. The primary fix involves implementing proper input validation and sanitization techniques for all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in database queries. This includes using parameterized queries or prepared statements to ensure that user input cannot alter the sql command structure. Additionally, input filtering should be implemented to reject or escape special sql characters that could be used for injection attacks. The application should also implement proper error handling to prevent information leakage that might occur during sql execution failures. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious sql injection patterns. This vulnerability aligns with attack techniques described in the attack pattern taxonomy where adversaries leverage sql injection to escalate privileges and access sensitive data. The remediation process should also include comprehensive code review to identify similar patterns in other parts of the application that might present analogous vulnerabilities, ensuring that the fix addresses not just this specific instance but also prevents future occurrences of sql injection flaws across the entire codebase.