CVE-2005-3201 in Utopia News Pro
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in news.php for Utopia News Pro (UNP) 1.1.3, when magic_quotes_gpc is disabled and register_globals is enabled, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL via the newsid parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/24/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-3201 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the Utopia News Pro news.php script version 1.1.3. This weakness arises from the improper handling of user input within the newsid parameter, creating an avenue for malicious actors to manipulate database queries. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the PHP configuration has magic_quotes_gpc disabled and register_globals enabled, conditions that were common in many web server environments during the mid-2000s. The combination of these settings creates a dangerous environment where user-supplied data flows directly into SQL commands without adequate sanitization or escaping mechanisms. This configuration essentially disables PHP's built-in protection against SQL injection attacks, leaving applications vulnerable to exploitation.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the newsid parameter within the news.php script. When an attacker submits a malicious payload through this parameter, the application fails to properly escape or validate the input before incorporating it into database queries. This allows attackers to inject arbitrary SQL commands that execute with the privileges of the database user associated with the web application. The flaw directly maps to CWE-89, which categorizes SQL injection vulnerabilities as weaknesses that allow attackers to manipulate database queries through untrusted input. The vulnerability's exploitation demonstrates the classic pattern of SQL injection where attacker-controlled data is concatenated into SQL statements without proper sanitization, potentially enabling data extraction, modification, or deletion operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, encompassing potential complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive information. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to extract confidential data from the database, including user credentials, personal information, and application configuration details. The vulnerability's severity is amplified by the specific server configuration requirements, as it requires both magic_quotes_gpc disabled and register_globals enabled to be exploitable. This means that organizations running vulnerable systems under these conditions face a high probability of successful exploitation, potentially leading to full database compromise. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004, which covers application layer protocol manipulation, specifically targeting database communication channels through malicious SQL injection payloads.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both the immediate security flaw and the underlying configuration issues that enable exploitation. The most effective immediate solution involves disabling register_globals in PHP configuration, as this setting is inherently dangerous and should never be enabled in production environments. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries would prevent the vulnerability from being exploitable regardless of PHP configuration settings. The application code should sanitize all user inputs, particularly those used in database queries, through proper escaping mechanisms or prepared statements. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious SQL injection patterns. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to the principle of least privilege in database access, ensuring that database users have minimal required permissions to reduce potential damage from successful exploitation attempts.