CVE-2002-2252 in Thatware
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in auth.inc.php in Thatware 0.5.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via a base64-encoded user parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/12/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-2252 represents a critical sql injection flaw within the authentication component of Thatware version 0.5.0 and earlier systems. This issue resides in the auth.inc.php file which serves as the core authentication module for the software platform. The vulnerability manifests when the application fails to properly validate or sanitize user input parameters, specifically the base64-encoded user parameter that is processed during the authentication workflow. This weakness creates an exploitable entry point that allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary sql commands directly into the database query execution chain.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the improper handling of base64-encoded input values that are passed to the authentication system. When a user submits credentials or authentication data, the system receives a base64-encoded parameter that should be decoded and validated before being incorporated into sql queries. However, the flawed implementation fails to properly sanitize this decoded data, allowing attackers to inject malicious sql payloads that bypass normal authentication mechanisms. This type of vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration CWE-89 which specifically addresses sql injection vulnerabilities where untrusted data is directly incorporated into sql command strings without proper sanitization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple unauthorized access attempts. An attacker who successfully exploits this flaw can execute arbitrary sql commands against the underlying database, potentially gaining complete control over the database contents, modifying user credentials, extracting sensitive information, or even escalating privileges to administrative levels within the application. The remote nature of this attack means that exploitation can occur from any location without requiring physical access to the system. This vulnerability directly maps to several attack techniques within the mitre att&ck framework, particularly those related to credential access and privilege escalation through database manipulation.
The exploitation process typically involves crafting a specially formatted base64-encoded parameter that, when decoded, contains malicious sql injection payloads. These payloads can be designed to bypass authentication checks, extract database schema information, or directly execute commands on the database server. The vulnerability affects all versions of Thatware up to and including version 0.5.0, making it a widespread concern for organizations that have not updated their systems. Given the age of this vulnerability and the lack of modern security controls in older systems, the risk assessment indicates a high severity rating that requires immediate remediation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability center around immediate code-level fixes and system hardening measures. The primary solution involves implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries to ensure that all user-supplied data, including base64-encoded parameters, are properly sanitized before being processed in sql contexts. Organizations should implement input filtering mechanisms that reject or escape special sql characters and keywords that could be used in injection attacks. Additionally, regular security updates and patch management processes should be enforced to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future releases. Database access controls should be implemented to limit the privileges of application users and prevent unauthorized command execution. The remediation process should also include comprehensive code reviews and security testing to identify and address similar issues in other components of the application.