CVE-2005-0015 in Sword
Summary
by MITRE
diatheke.pl in Sword 1.5.7a allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters in a URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/29/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0015 affects the diatheke.pl script within the Sword 1.5.7a software suite, presenting a critical remote code execution risk that stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization. This flaw exists in the command-line interface component that processes user-supplied URLs, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject shell metacharacters that are subsequently executed by the underlying system. The vulnerability specifically targets the processing of URL parameters that are passed to the diatheke.pl script, which is designed to facilitate Bible text retrieval and manipulation within the Sword software framework.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits a classic command injection flaw where user-controllable input is directly incorporated into system commands without proper sanitization or escaping mechanisms. When a remote attacker crafts a malicious URL containing shell metacharacters such as semicolons, ampersands, or backticks, these characters are interpreted by the shell and executed with the privileges of the web server or application process. This represents a fundamental breakdown in input validation practices and demonstrates the absence of proper parameter sanitization that would prevent the injection of unintended shell commands. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-77, which specifically addresses command injection flaws, and can be categorized under the broader ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and potentially catastrophic for systems running affected software, as it provides attackers with arbitrary code execution capabilities that can be leveraged for complete system compromise. An attacker could potentially escalate privileges, access sensitive data, install backdoors, or use the compromised system as a launch point for further attacks within a network. The remote nature of the exploit means that attackers do not require local access or authentication credentials to exploit the vulnerability, making it particularly dangerous for publicly accessible web services. Systems that process user input through web interfaces or API endpoints that utilize similar command-line execution patterns would be at significant risk. The vulnerability also demonstrates poor security practices in software development, specifically the lack of proper input validation and the absence of secure coding practices that would prevent such injection attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate action including applying the vendor-supplied patch or upgrade to a version that addresses the command injection flaw, as well as implementing comprehensive input validation and sanitization measures. Organizations should ensure that all user-supplied input is properly escaped or filtered before being passed to system commands, implementing proper parameter validation that rejects or sanitizes potentially dangerous characters. Network-level defenses such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional protection layers, though these should not be relied upon as the sole mitigation. The remediation process should include comprehensive code review to identify similar patterns in other components that might be susceptible to the same type of injection attack, as well as implementing principle of least privilege for the affected application processes to limit the potential damage from successful exploitation. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify and remediate similar issues in other software components that may be at risk from command injection attacks.