CVE-2005-2788 in Land Down Under
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in Land Down Under (LDU) 801 and earlier allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the c parameter to (1) events.php, (2) index.php, or (3) list.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/04/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-2788 represents a critical SQL injection flaw affecting Land Down Under (LDU) version 801 and earlier systems. This vulnerability resides within the web application's handling of user input parameters, specifically the 'c' parameter that is processed across three distinct PHP scripts: events.php, index.php, and list.php. The flaw allows remote attackers to inject malicious SQL commands directly into the application's database layer, potentially enabling complete database compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive information.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through improper input validation and sanitization within the LDU application framework. When users interact with the affected scripts and provide input through the 'c' parameter, the application fails to adequately sanitize or escape the input before incorporating it into SQL query construction. This oversight creates a direct pathway for attackers to manipulate the intended database operations by injecting malicious SQL syntax that can alter, retrieve, or delete data from the underlying database system. The vulnerability falls under CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection weaknesses in software applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with the capability to execute arbitrary SQL commands with the privileges of the database user account. This level of access enables comprehensive database enumeration, data exfiltration, and potentially system compromise through database-level attacks such as privilege escalation or command execution. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to user credentials, personal information, business data, and other sensitive resources stored within the LDU application's database infrastructure.
Security practitioners should consider this vulnerability in the context of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically under the T1190 technique for Exploit Public-Facing Application, which encompasses vulnerabilities like SQL injection that target web applications. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution vector through database manipulation aligns with ATT&CK's broader categories of privilege escalation and data access techniques. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation measures, employ parameterized queries, and conduct regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities within their web application environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-2788 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected LDU versions to the latest available releases that address the SQL injection flaws. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms, utilizing prepared statements or parameterized queries, and establishing robust database access controls can significantly reduce the risk of exploitation. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems should also be deployed to monitor for potential exploitation attempts targeting these specific vulnerable endpoints. Regular security audits and code reviews focusing on database interaction patterns will help identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other applications within the organization's infrastructure.