CVE-2004-2669 in Land Down Under
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in Land Down Under (LDU) v701 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands or obtain the installation path via parameters including (1) s, w, and d in users.php, (2) id in comments.php, (3) rusername in auth.php, or (4) h in plug.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/29/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-2669 represents a critical security flaw in the Land Down Under (LDU) content management system version 701, exposing multiple pathways for remote attackers to execute malicious SQL commands. This issue stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the application's PHP scripts, creating persistent SQL injection vulnerabilities that can be exploited without authentication. The vulnerability affects several key files including users.php, comments.php, auth.php, and plug.php, making it particularly dangerous as it spans across core application functionality. According to CWE-89, this vulnerability falls under the category of SQL Injection, which is classified as a severe weakness that allows attackers to manipulate database queries through malicious input.
The technical exploitation occurs through specific parameter manipulation in the affected PHP files, where user-supplied input directly influences SQL query construction without proper sanitization. In users.php, attackers can manipulate parameters s, w, and d to inject malicious SQL code, while comments.php's id parameter provides another attack vector for SQL injection. The auth.php file's rusername parameter and plug.php's h parameter each present unique opportunities for attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms and gain unauthorized access to database resources. These vulnerabilities are particularly concerning because they can be leveraged to execute arbitrary SQL commands, potentially leading to complete database compromise, data exfiltration, or even system takeover.
The operational impact of CVE-2004-2669 extends far beyond simple data theft, as successful exploitation can result in complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive user information. Attackers can use these vulnerabilities to extract database schema information, retrieve user credentials, modify or delete data, and potentially escalate privileges within the application environment. The ability to obtain the installation path through these injection points provides attackers with additional reconnaissance capabilities, enabling them to plan more sophisticated attacks against the system. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation and T1046 for network service scanning, as it enables attackers to map the application's backend infrastructure and identify further attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2004-2669 must focus on implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries throughout the affected application components. The most effective approach involves replacing direct string concatenation in SQL queries with prepared statements or parameterized queries, which prevents malicious input from being interpreted as SQL code. Additionally, implementing proper input sanitization routines, enforcing strict parameter validation, and applying the principle of least privilege for database connections can significantly reduce the attack surface. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and regular security code reviews to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation as outlined in OWASP Top 10 A03:2021, where injection flaws remain among the most prevalent and dangerous web application security weaknesses.