CVE-2005-0651 in ProjectBB
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in ProjectBB 0.4.5.1 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via (1) liste or (2) desc parameters to divers.php (incorrectly referred to as "drivers.php" by some sources), (3) the search feature text area, (4) post name in the post creation feature, (5) City, (6) Homepage, (7) ICQ, (8) AOL, (9) Yahoo!, (10) MSN, or (11) e-mail fields in the profile feature or (12) the new field in the moderator section.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/07/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-0651 represents a critical SQL injection flaw affecting ProjectBB version 0.4.5.1, a web-based bulletin board system that was widely used for online community forums. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-89 category, which specifically addresses SQL injection weaknesses in software applications. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the application's database interaction mechanisms, creating multiple attack vectors that collectively amplify the security risk. The vulnerability affects various user input points within the application's interface, making it particularly dangerous as attackers can exploit these entry points through different functional areas of the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when user-supplied data is directly concatenated into SQL query strings without proper sanitization or parameterization. Attackers can manipulate the liste and desc parameters in divers.php to inject malicious SQL commands that bypass authentication mechanisms and gain unauthorized access to the underlying database. Additionally, the search functionality and various profile fields including City, Homepage, ICQ, AOL, Yahoo!, MSN, and email fields provide multiple pathways for attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands. The post creation feature also contains vulnerable parameters in the post name field, while the moderator section introduces another potential vector through a new field. These injection points are particularly concerning because they are part of core application functions that are frequently accessed by both legitimate users and potential attackers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it allows remote attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including unauthorized data access, data modification, and potential complete system compromise. Attackers could extract sensitive user information, modify forum content, escalate privileges, or even gain administrative control over the entire bulletin board system. The vulnerability's widespread nature across multiple functional areas means that even if one attack vector is patched, others remain exploitable, creating a persistent security risk for affected installations. Organizations using ProjectBB 0.4.5.1 would face significant operational disruption, potential data breaches, and reputational damage if exploited successfully. The vulnerability also impacts the application's integrity and availability, as attackers could potentially delete or corrupt database records, leading to service degradation or complete system failure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-0651 should focus on implementing proper input validation, parameterized queries, and secure coding practices throughout the application. The most effective immediate solution involves upgrading to a patched version of ProjectBB, as the vulnerability was addressed in subsequent releases. Organizations should also implement web application firewalls to monitor and filter malicious SQL injection attempts, employ proper input sanitization routines that validate and escape all user-supplied data, and utilize prepared statements or parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection attacks. Additionally, regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other application components. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1190 technique for SQL injection, emphasizing the need for comprehensive defensive measures including network segmentation, access controls, and monitoring of database activities to detect potential exploitation attempts.