CVE-2005-1875 in Exhibit Engine
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in list.php in Exhibit Engine (EE) 1.22 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the (1) search_row, (2) sort_row, (3) order or (4) perpage parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/02/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1875 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within Exhibit Engine version 1.22, specifically affecting the list.php script. This vulnerability falls under the category of CWE-89 SQL Injection as defined by the Common Weakness Enumeration, which occurs when an application fails to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into SQL queries. The flaw manifests in four distinct parameter vectors including search_row, sort_row, order, and perpage, each of which can be manipulated by remote attackers to inject malicious SQL commands into the backend database system.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability enables attackers to perform unauthorized database operations including but not limited to data extraction, modification, or deletion. When user-supplied parameters are directly concatenated into SQL queries without proper input validation or parameterization, the malicious input can alter the intended query structure and execute arbitrary commands on the underlying database server. This type of vulnerability represents a fundamental breakdown in input sanitization practices and demonstrates poor secure coding principles that have been addressed by modern development standards and frameworks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive information. Attackers can leverage these parameters to bypass authentication mechanisms, escalate privileges, or even gain shell access to the underlying server depending on the database configuration and permissions. The exposure of database credentials, user information, and potentially sensitive business data creates significant risk for organizations relying on Exhibit Engine for content management or data presentation. This vulnerability directly maps to multiple ATT&CK techniques including T1071.004 Application Layer Protocol and T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application, highlighting the attack surface and exploitation methods available to threat actors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-1875 should focus on implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries throughout the application code. Developers must ensure that all user-supplied parameters are properly sanitized and validated before being incorporated into database queries. The recommended approach involves using prepared statements or parameterized queries to separate SQL command structure from data values, effectively preventing malicious input from altering query execution. Additionally, implementing proper access controls, input filtering, and output encoding can significantly reduce the attack surface. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and regular security audits to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of secure coding practices and input validation as fundamental defense mechanisms against SQL injection attacks, aligning with industry standards such as OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines for application security.