CVE-2005-3508 in Galerie
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in showGallery.php in Gallery (Galerie) 2.4 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the galid parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/13/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-3508 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the Gallery 2.4 web application's showGallery.php component. This vulnerability resides in the handling of user input parameters, specifically the galid parameter that is processed without proper sanitization or validation. The flaw allows remote attackers to inject malicious SQL code directly into the application's database query execution chain, potentially compromising the entire backend database infrastructure. This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection vulnerabilities that occur when untrusted data is incorporated into SQL commands without proper escaping or parameterization.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic case of improper input validation where the galid parameter is directly concatenated into SQL queries without any form of input sanitization or prepared statement usage. When an attacker submits a malicious value through the galid parameter, the application processes this input directly within database queries, enabling the execution of arbitrary SQL commands. This flaw enables attackers to perform unauthorized database operations including data retrieval, modification, deletion, and potentially even privilege escalation within the database system. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can leverage this weakness from any location without requiring physical access to the target system.
The operational impact of CVE-2005-3508 extends beyond simple data theft, as successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive information stored within the Gallery application's database. Attackers can extract user credentials, personal information, and other confidential data that may be stored in the database. The vulnerability also enables potential persistence mechanisms where attackers could modify database entries to maintain access or establish backdoors within the system. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK framework's technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage and T1046 for network service discovery, as attackers can leverage this weakness to map and exploit database services. Additionally, the vulnerability's exploitation can lead to data integrity compromise and potential denial of service conditions if attackers manipulate database structures or execute resource-intensive queries.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The primary fix involves implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries to ensure that user-supplied data cannot be interpreted as SQL commands. This requires modifying the showGallery.php script to utilize prepared statements or proper escaping mechanisms for all database interactions. Organizations should also implement input sanitization routines that validate the galid parameter against expected formats and ranges, rejecting any input that does not conform to established patterns. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls and intrusion prevention systems can provide additional defense-in-depth measures. The remediation process should include comprehensive code review to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the Gallery application, as this flaw likely indicates broader input validation issues. Security teams should also implement regular vulnerability scanning and penetration testing to detect similar weaknesses in other applications and systems within the organization's infrastructure.