CVE-2005-3022 in vBulletin
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in vBulletin 3.0.9 and earlier allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the (1) announcement parameter to announcement.php, (2) userid parameter to user.php, (3) calendar parameter to admincalendar.php, (4) cronid parameter to cronlog.php, (5) usergroupid parameter to email.php, (6) help parameter to help.php, (7) rvt parameter to language.php, (8) keep parameter to phrase.php, or (9) updateprofilepic parameter to usertools.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/12/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-3022 represents a critical SQL injection flaw affecting vBulletin versions 3.0.9 and earlier, exposing multiple attack vectors through various script parameters. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-89 category of SQL Injection, which is classified as a severe security weakness in software applications that process untrusted input data. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the database backend, potentially compromising the entire system infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through multiple entry points within the vBulletin application, each presenting distinct attack surfaces. The announcement parameter in announcement.php allows attackers to inject malicious SQL code directly into the database query execution flow. Similarly, the userid parameter in user.php provides an avenue for SQL injection attacks targeting user authentication and authorization mechanisms. The calendar parameter in admincalendar.php opens doors for administrative command execution, while the cronid parameter in cronlog.php enables attackers to manipulate scheduled tasks and system logs. The usergroupid parameter in email.php and help parameter in help.php create additional pathways for database manipulation, while rvt parameter in language.php and keep parameter in phrase.php offer further exploitation opportunities. The updateprofilepic parameter in usertools.php completes the attack surface by allowing malicious input to modify user profile information through database commands.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it enables attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive user information, modify database records, and potentially escalate privileges within the system. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can exploit these flaws without requiring physical access to the system, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous in internet-facing applications. Successful exploitation could result in complete database compromise, unauthorized user account access, data manipulation, and potential system takeover. The widespread use of vBulletin in forums and community platforms increases the potential attack surface significantly.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-3022 should prioritize immediate patching of affected vBulletin installations to version 3.0.10 or later, which contains fixes for these specific SQL injection vulnerabilities. Organizations should implement proper input validation and parameterized queries throughout their applications to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. The implementation of web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of protection against SQL injection attacks. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of all web applications to identify and remediate similar weaknesses, particularly focusing on parameter handling and database interaction points. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1190 technique of Exploit Public-Facing Application, highlighting the need for comprehensive application security testing and monitoring of external system access points. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to ensure that similar vulnerabilities do not persist in updated or newly developed applications, maintaining compliance with industry standards such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks.