CVE-2005-3549 in IP.Board
Summary
by MITRE
Direct code injection vulnerability in Task Manager in Invision Power Board 2.0.1 allows limited remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by referencing the file in "Task PHP File To Run" field and selecting "Run Task Now".
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/28/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-3549 represents a critical direct code injection flaw within the Task Manager component of Invision Power Board version 2.0.1. This issue arises from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms that allow malicious actors to inject arbitrary code through the "Task PHP File To Run" field. The vulnerability specifically affects the administrative task execution functionality where users can schedule and run automated tasks within the forum software. When an attacker manipulates the file reference in the designated field and triggers the "Run Task Now" action, the system executes the malicious code with the privileges of the web application, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-94, which describes "Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')" and represents a classic example of a code injection attack vector. The flaw exists because the application fails to properly validate or sanitize user input before incorporating it into the execution context. This particular implementation allows attackers to specify any PHP file path within the system, bypassing normal access controls and potentially executing malicious payloads that could include shell commands, file manipulation routines, or data exfiltration scripts. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires minimal privileges to exploit, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrative access might be compromised.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to organizations using Invision Power Board 2.0.1 as it enables remote code execution without requiring authentication for the initial injection phase. The attack surface is limited to the administrative interface where task scheduling is performed, but once exploited, the attacker gains the ability to execute arbitrary commands on the server hosting the forum. This could result in complete system compromise, data theft, service disruption, or the establishment of persistent backdoors. The impact extends beyond the immediate application to potentially affect the entire hosting environment, especially if the web application runs with elevated privileges. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell" and T1078.004 for "Valid Accounts: Cloud Accounts," as it allows for command execution and privilege escalation within the application context.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of the Invision Power Board application to the latest available version that addresses the code injection flaw. Administrators should implement strict input validation and sanitization measures for all user-controllable fields, particularly those that influence file paths or execution contexts. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by ensuring that the web application runs with minimal required permissions and that administrative tasks are properly secured with strong authentication mechanisms. Network segmentation and monitoring should be implemented to detect anomalous execution patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the system. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and runtime application self-protection mechanisms to provide additional layers of defense against code injection attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in preventing code injection attacks and highlights the necessity of maintaining up-to-date security patches for all software components.