CVE-2003-0779 in Asterisk
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in the Call Detail Record (CDR) logging functionality for Asterisk allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL via a CallerID string.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/15/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2003-0779 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the Asterisk telephony platform's Call Detail Record logging mechanism. This vulnerability specifically affects the handling of CallerID strings during CDR processing, creating a pathway for remote attackers to execute malicious SQL commands against the underlying database system. The issue stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the CDR logging functionality, which processes caller identification information without proper parameterization or escaping mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious CallerID string containing SQL payload characters that bypass input filtering. When the Asterisk system processes this malformed CallerID during CDR generation, the unescaped input gets directly incorporated into SQL queries executed against the database backend. This allows attackers to manipulate database operations, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the database level, bypassing application-level security controls and potentially enabling full database compromise.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability exposes organizations using Asterisk for voice communication to significant security risks including data breaches, service disruption, and potential regulatory compliance violations. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can exploit this weakness from outside the network perimeter, making it particularly dangerous for telephony infrastructure. Organizations may experience unauthorized access to call logs, billing information, and potentially sensitive customer data stored in the database. The vulnerability also poses risks to system availability if attackers can manipulate database operations to cause service degradation or complete system outages.
The flaw aligns with CWE-89, which categorizes SQL injection vulnerabilities as a fundamental weakness in input validation and data sanitization. This vulnerability demonstrates poor application security practices in handling user-supplied data within database operations, particularly in legacy telephony systems that may not have been designed with modern security considerations. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application and T1071.004 - Application Layer Protocol: DNS, as attackers may leverage this weakness to establish persistent access or escalate privileges within the telephony infrastructure. Organizations should implement proper input validation, parameterized queries, and database access controls to mitigate this risk. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments for telephony systems, as many legacy voice platforms contain similar unpatched security flaws that remain exploitable decades after initial disclosure.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of affected Asterisk versions, implementation of proper input sanitization for CallerID fields, and database query parameterization to prevent SQL injection. Network segmentation and access controls should limit database exposure, while regular security monitoring can detect anomalous database access patterns. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and database activity monitoring solutions to provide additional layers of protection against similar vulnerabilities in telephony infrastructure.