CVE-2004-1555 in ASP Message Board
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in BroadBoard Instant ASP Message Board allow remote attackers to run arbitrary SQL commands via the (1) keywords parameter to search.asp, (2) handle parameter to profile.asp, (3) txtUserHandle parameter to reg2.asp or (4) txtUserEmail parameter to forgot.asp.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/22/2024
The CVE-2004-1555 vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in the BroadBoard Instant ASP Message Board software that exposes multiple pathways for remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands through SQL injection attacks. This vulnerability affects several key components of the message board system including search functionality, user profile management, registration processes, and password recovery mechanisms. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization practices within the ASP-based web application, creating exploitable entry points that allow malicious actors to manipulate database queries directly through HTTP parameters.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through four distinct attack vectors that all share the common weakness of improper parameter handling. The keywords parameter in search.asp allows attackers to inject malicious SQL code that gets directly incorporated into database queries without proper sanitization. Similarly, the handle parameter in profile.asp and txtUserHandle parameter in reg2.asp provide comparable attack surfaces where user-supplied input is concatenated into SQL statements without appropriate escaping or parameterization. The txtUserEmail parameter in forgot.asp presents another avenue for exploitation, demonstrating how the vulnerability extends across different functional modules of the application. These attack vectors collectively represent a fundamental failure in input validation that violates established security principles and creates persistent exposure windows for database manipulation.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including unauthorized data access, data modification, and potential complete database compromise. Successful exploitation could allow threat actors to extract sensitive user information, modify existing user accounts, inject malicious content, or even escalate privileges within the database environment. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation does not require physical access to the system, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged from anywhere on the internet. The vulnerability also demonstrates poor application architecture and development practices that violate the principle of least privilege and proper input validation, creating a persistent security risk that remains active until properly patched.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2004-1555 must focus on implementing proper input validation, parameterized queries, and secure coding practices throughout the application. Organizations should immediately apply vendor-provided patches if available or implement input sanitization measures that escape or validate all user-supplied parameters before database processing. The implementation of prepared statements or parameterized queries would effectively prevent the injection of malicious SQL code by separating the SQL command structure from the data being processed. Additionally, web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems should be configured to monitor for suspicious SQL patterns in HTTP requests. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws, and represents a clear violation of ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploitation of vulnerabilities in web applications. The remediation process should also include comprehensive security testing of all input handling components to prevent similar issues in other parts of the application architecture and ensure that the application follows secure coding standards established by organizations such as OWASP and NIST.