CVE-2003-0515 in teapop
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerabilities in the (1) PostgreSQL or (2) MySQL authentication modules for teapop 0.3.5 and earlier allow attackers to execute arbitrary SQL and possibly gain privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/25/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-0515 represents a critical SQL injection flaw affecting authentication modules in teapop versions 0.3.5 and earlier. This issue impacts both PostgreSQL and MySQL database systems, creating a significant security risk for applications relying on these database engines for user authentication. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the authentication processes, allowing malicious actors to inject arbitrary SQL commands through improperly sanitized user inputs. The flaw exists in the way these authentication modules handle database queries, specifically during the user login and credential verification phases.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability enables attackers to manipulate database queries by injecting malicious SQL code through authentication parameters. When teapop processes user credentials, it fails to properly escape or validate input data before incorporating it into SQL statements. This creates an environment where an attacker can construct SQL commands that bypass normal authentication mechanisms and potentially execute unauthorized database operations. The vulnerability operates at the application layer, specifically targeting the database interaction components that handle user authentication. According to CWE standards, this maps to CWE-89 SQL Injection, which is classified as a high-severity weakness in software security. The attack vector leverages the principle of insufficient input sanitization, where user-provided data is directly concatenated into SQL queries without proper validation or escaping mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple authentication bypasses, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized access to sensitive database information. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could execute arbitrary SQL commands with the privileges of the database user account used by teapop, which might include administrative rights depending on the database configuration. This could lead to data theft, data modification, or complete database compromise. The vulnerability affects systems where teapop is deployed for email server authentication or other applications using PostgreSQL or MySQL for user management. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application and T1078 Valid Accounts, as it allows attackers to leverage legitimate authentication mechanisms to gain unauthorized access. The risk is particularly elevated in environments where the database user account has elevated privileges or where the database contains sensitive user information, personal data, or system configuration details.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2003-0515 require immediate patching of teapop installations to versions that address the SQL injection vulnerability in authentication modules. Organizations should implement proper input validation and parameterized queries throughout their authentication systems to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring. Database administrators should review and restrict database user permissions to the minimum required for teapop operations, implementing the principle of least privilege. Additionally, network segmentation and intrusion detection systems should be deployed to monitor for suspicious authentication attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure coding practices in database interaction components, particularly in authentication modules where user input directly influences database operations. Regular security assessments and code reviews focusing on input handling and database query construction are essential for preventing similar issues in other applications. System administrators should also implement logging and monitoring of authentication events to detect potential exploitation attempts. The remediation process must include thorough testing of patched versions to ensure that the security fixes do not introduce regressions in functionality while maintaining the integrity of the authentication system.