CVE-2004-0323 in Xmb
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in XMB 1.8 Final SP2 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary SQL and gain privileges via the (1) ppp parameter in viewthread.php, (2) desc parameter in misc.php, (3) tpp parameter in forumdisplay.php, (4) ascdesc parameter in forumdisplay.php, or (5) the addon parameter in stats.php. NOTE: it has also been shown that item (3) is also in XMB 1.9 beta.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/25/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2004-0323 represents a critical SQL injection flaw affecting XMB 1.8 Final SP2 and potentially XMB 1.9 beta versions. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within multiple script files that process user-supplied parameters. The affected parameters include ppp in viewthread.php, desc in misc.php, tpp in forumdisplay.php, ascdesc in forumdisplay.php, and addon in stats.php, all of which are susceptible to malicious SQL code injection attempts. The vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws where untrusted data is incorporated into SQL queries without proper sanitization.
The technical exploitation of these vulnerabilities occurs when remote attackers manipulate the specified parameters to inject malicious SQL commands into the application's database queries. This injection allows attackers to execute arbitrary SQL code on the backend database system, potentially enabling them to extract sensitive information, modify database contents, or even escalate privileges within the application. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it leverages common web application parameters that are frequently used for pagination, sorting, and statistical display functions, making the exploitation relatively straightforward and less likely to be detected by basic security monitoring systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides attackers with unauthorized access to the underlying database infrastructure. Successful exploitation could result in complete data compromise, including user credentials, private forum content, and potentially system-level information. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the entire forum system, as attackers could manipulate forum data, create or delete posts, and potentially establish persistent access through privilege escalation techniques. Additionally, the vulnerability's presence in multiple files indicates a systemic design flaw in the application's input handling mechanisms, suggesting that other parameters may also be vulnerable to similar attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of the affected XMB versions to implement proper input validation and parameter sanitization. Security measures should include implementing prepared statements or parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection, conducting thorough input validation on all user-supplied parameters, and applying proper output encoding to prevent malicious code execution. Organizations should also implement web application firewalls to monitor for suspicious parameter patterns and establish regular security audits to identify similar vulnerabilities. The remediation process should follow industry standards such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST guidelines for secure web application development, ensuring that all user inputs are properly validated and sanitized before being processed by database systems. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and proper database query construction in preventing unauthorized access to sensitive information systems.