CVE-2005-1598 in IP.Board
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in Invision Power Board (IPB) 2.0.3 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via a crafted cookie password hash (pass_hash) that modifies the internal $pid variable.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/16/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1598 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within Invision Power Board version 2.0.3 and earlier implementations. This security weakness resides in the application's handling of user authentication data, specifically within the cookie-based password hash mechanism that processes the pass_hash parameter. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization of user-supplied data that flows into database queries without proper escaping or parameterization techniques. Attackers can exploit this flaw by crafting malicious cookie values containing specially formatted pass_hash data that manipulates the internal $pid variable, thereby allowing unauthorized execution of arbitrary SQL commands against the underlying database system.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the HTTP cookie mechanism used by IPB for user session management. When users authenticate, their password hash is stored in a cookie named pass_hash which is later processed by the application's authentication routines. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly validate or escape the pass_hash value before incorporating it into SQL queries that determine user permissions or retrieve account information. This improper handling allows attackers to inject malicious SQL syntax directly into the database query execution flow, effectively bypassing normal authentication mechanisms and gaining unauthorized access to database resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to account information. Attackers can leverage this SQL injection capability to perform data manipulation operations including but not limited to user account creation, modification of existing user privileges, extraction of sensitive database content such as user credentials, personal information, and system configuration data. The vulnerability also enables potential privilege escalation attacks where low-privileged users might elevate their access levels to administrative privileges within the IPB system. Additionally, the exploitation could lead to complete database compromise, allowing attackers to execute destructive operations such as data deletion, modification of core application functionality, or even database server enumeration and reconnaissance activities.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in relation to CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws in software applications. The vulnerability also maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1190 for exploitation of vulnerabilities in web applications, T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage, and T1046 for network service discovery. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to patched versions of IPB, implementing input validation controls, and deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious SQL injection patterns. The remediation strategy should also include regular security assessments of web applications, proper parameterized query implementation, and comprehensive input sanitization measures to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future software deployments.