CVE-2005-2568 in SysCP
Summary
by MITRE
Eval injection vulnerability in the template engine for SysCP 1.2.10 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary PHP code via a string containing the code within "{" and "}" (curly bracket) characters, which are processed by the PHP eval function.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/08/2019
The CVE-2005-2568 vulnerability represents a critical server-side code injection flaw discovered in the SysCP control panel version 1.2.10 and earlier. This vulnerability exists within the template engine's processing logic where user-supplied input containing PHP code enclosed in curly brackets is directly passed to the eval function without proper sanitization or validation. The exploitation occurs when attackers craft malicious template content that includes PHP code within the designated curly bracket delimiters, enabling arbitrary code execution on the target server.
This vulnerability falls under the CWE-94 category of "Improper Control of Generation of Code" and specifically manifests as a code injection weakness in the template processing module. The flaw exploits the inherent trust placed in template variables by the system, where the template engine processes user-provided content through PHP's eval function, creating a direct path for remote code execution. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it leverages the legitimate template processing functionality to bypass normal security controls, making detection more challenging and the exploitation more stealthy.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted. Remote attackers can execute arbitrary PHP code with the privileges of the web server process, potentially leading to complete system compromise. This allows for unauthorized access to sensitive data, modification of system files, creation of backdoors, and establishment of persistent access to the compromised infrastructure. The vulnerability affects the entire SysCP installation, making it a critical concern for organizations relying on this control panel for web hosting management. The attack requires no special privileges beyond access to the template editing functionality, making it particularly dangerous in multi-tenant hosting environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-2568 should focus on immediate patching of the affected SysCP versions to the latest available release that addresses this vulnerability. Organizations should implement strict input validation and sanitization for all template variables, ensuring that any content processed through the template engine is properly escaped and validated before execution. The use of alternative template processing methods that avoid the eval function entirely should be considered, along with implementing proper access controls to limit template editing capabilities to authorized administrators only. Network-based mitigations such as web application firewalls can help detect and block exploitation attempts, while regular security audits of template processing logic should be conducted to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in the future. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices and the dangers of directly executing user-supplied code without proper sanitization, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter.