CVE-2005-1437 in osTicket
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in osTicket allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the (1) id parameter to admin.php or (2) cat parameter to view.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/19/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1437 represents a critical security flaw in the osTicket help desk system that enables remote attackers to perform SQL injection attacks against the application's database layer. This vulnerability exists within the authentication and authorization mechanisms of the system, specifically affecting two distinct endpoints that handle user input processing. The flaw allows malicious actors to manipulate database queries by injecting malicious SQL code through carefully crafted parameters, potentially leading to complete database compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive information.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the osTicket application's administrative and viewing interfaces. When the application processes the id parameter in admin.php or the cat parameter in view.php, it directly incorporates user-supplied data into SQL queries without proper escaping or parameterization. This creates an environment where attackers can inject malicious SQL fragments that execute with the privileges of the database user account used by osTicket. The vulnerability manifests as a classic blind SQL injection attack vector, where the attacker can manipulate the database structure, extract confidential data, or even modify existing records through carefully constructed payload sequences.
The operational impact of CVE-2005-1437 extends beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with the capability to escalate privileges within the application and potentially gain unauthorized administrative access. Remote exploitation of this vulnerability allows attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms and assume control over the help desk system, which typically contains sensitive customer information, support tickets, and system configuration details. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on osTicket for customer service management, making it particularly dangerous as it could expose personal data, business communications, and internal system information. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws in software applications, and represents a fundamental weakness in input handling and database query construction.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including input validation, parameterized queries, and proper access controls to prevent exploitation. The recommended approach involves sanitizing all user inputs through proper escaping techniques and implementing prepared statements to prevent SQL injection attacks. System administrators should also review and restrict database permissions for the osTicket application user account, limiting its capabilities to only essential operations. Additionally, network-level protections such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of defense against exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of following secure coding practices and adheres to ATT&CK technique T1190, which covers exploitation of vulnerabilities in web applications through SQL injection attacks. The remediation process should include comprehensive code review, implementation of proper input validation frameworks, and regular security assessments to identify similar weaknesses in other application components.