CVE-2004-1538 in PHPKIT
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in include.php in PHPKIT 1.6.03 through 1.6.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the id parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-1538 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the PHPKIT content management system version 1.6.03 through 1.6.1. This vulnerability exists in the include.php file where user input is improperly handled, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute unauthorized SQL commands against the underlying database. The flaw specifically manifests through the id parameter which is directly incorporated into SQL queries without adequate sanitization or validation, making it susceptible to exploitation by remote attackers who can manipulate database operations through crafted input sequences.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and parameter handling within the PHPKIT framework. When the id parameter is passed to include.php, the application fails to properly escape or filter special characters that could alter the intended SQL query structure. This allows attackers to inject malicious SQL code that gets executed within the database context, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires no special privileges to exploit, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by anyone with access to the affected web application. According to CWE classification, this corresponds to CWE-89 SQL Injection, which is categorized as a weakness in the input validation and output encoding practices of web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data compromise, as it can enable full database access and manipulation capabilities for attackers. Successful exploitation could result in complete data breach, unauthorized user account creation, data corruption, or even system compromise through database-level attacks. The vulnerability affects organizations using PHPKIT versions within the specified range, potentially exposing sensitive information stored in the database to unauthorized access. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to technique T1190 for exploitation of remote services and T1078 for valid accounts, as it allows attackers to leverage existing database connections to escalate privileges and maintain persistence within the compromised environment.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2004-1538 should prioritize immediate patching of affected PHPKIT installations to versions that properly sanitize user input and implement secure parameterized queries. Organizations should implement input validation mechanisms that reject or escape special characters commonly used in SQL injection attacks, including single quotes, semicolons, and comment markers. Database access controls should be strengthened through principle of least privilege enforcement, ensuring that application database accounts have minimal necessary permissions. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components, while application developers should adopt secure coding practices including parameterized queries and proper input sanitization to prevent future occurrences of this class of vulnerability.