CVE-2004-2437 in PHP-Fusion
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in PHP-Fusion 4.01 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the rowstart parameter to (1) index.php or (2) members.php, or (3) the comment_id parameter to comments.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/05/2019
This vulnerability represents a critical sql injection flaw in PHP-Fusion 4.01 content management system that enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary database commands without authentication. The vulnerability manifests through three distinct attack vectors targeting core application files including index.php, members.php, and comments.php. The primary technical weakness lies in the improper sanitization of user input parameters, specifically the rowstart and comment_id parameters, which are directly incorporated into sql query constructions without adequate validation or escaping mechanisms. This allows malicious actors to inject malicious sql payloads that bypass authentication checks and manipulate database operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft to encompass complete database compromise and potential system takeover. Attackers can leverage this weakness to extract sensitive information including user credentials, personal data, and administrative access details. The vulnerability's reach spans multiple application modules, making it particularly dangerous as it affects core functionality such as user membership management, content display, and comment handling. According to CWE classification, this represents a CWE-89: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command, which is a fundamental weakness in database interaction design. The attack surface is further expanded through the ATT&CK framework's T1190: Exploit Public-Facing Application technique, as this vulnerability targets publicly accessible web interfaces.
The technical exploitation requires minimal prerequisites and can be automated through standard web application attack tools. The vulnerability's persistence stems from inadequate input validation at multiple points within the application's data handling pipeline, where user-supplied parameters flow directly into database queries without proper sanitization. This flaw demonstrates poor secure coding practices and highlights the critical importance of implementing proper parameterized queries or adequate input filtering mechanisms. Organizations running PHP-Fusion 4.01 systems face significant risk of unauthorized data access, data manipulation, and potential complete system compromise. The vulnerability's exploitation does not require privileged access or specialized knowledge beyond standard web application penetration testing techniques, making it particularly dangerous in environments with limited security monitoring. Remediation efforts must focus on implementing proper input validation, parameterized queries, and comprehensive output encoding to prevent sql injection attacks across all application components.