CVE-2005-3976 in DUnews
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in type.asp, as used in multiple DUware products including (1) DUamazon 3.1, (2) DUarticle 1.1, (3) DUclassified 4.2, (4) DUdirectory 3.1 and DUdirectory Pro 3.0 and 3.0 SQL, (5) DUdownload 1.1, (6) DUgallery 3.3, (7) DUnews 1.1, and (8) DUpaypal 3.1 and DUpaypal Pro 3.0, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the iType parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/12/2019
The CVE-2005-3976 vulnerability represents a critical sql injection flaw affecting multiple DUware web applications that were prevalent in the early 2000s. This vulnerability specifically targets the type.asp component within various DUware products including duamazon, duarticle, duclassified, dudirectory, dudownload, dugallery, dune ws, and dupaypal systems. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user input passed through the iType parameter, creating an exploitable entry point for malicious actors to manipulate underlying database queries. This vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration category of CWE-89 sql injection as defined by the cwecwe.org database, which classifies it as a direct injection of sql commands into database query execution contexts.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers submit malicious input through the iType parameter in the type.asp script. When the application processes this parameter without adequate input validation or sanitization, the malformed data gets directly incorporated into sql statements executed against the backend database. This allows attackers to construct and execute arbitrary sql commands that can manipulate database contents, extract sensitive information, modify data structures, or even gain unauthorized access to the database server itself. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it affects multiple products within the same software suite, suggesting a systemic design flaw in how input parameters are handled across the application framework. The attack vector requires no special privileges and can be executed remotely, making it highly accessible to threat actors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data compromise to potentially enable complete system takeover of affected applications. Attackers could exploit this flaw to extract confidential customer data, financial records, user credentials, or business information stored in the database. The vulnerability also allows for data manipulation, enabling attackers to alter or delete critical information within the applications. In the context of e-commerce systems like duamazon and dupaypal, this could result in financial fraud, inventory manipulation, or unauthorized transactions. The widespread nature of the affected products means that organizations using multiple DUware applications would face cascading security risks. From an att&ck framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving command and control through database manipulation and credential access through data extraction. The exploitation directly violates principles of secure coding practices and input validation as outlined in industry standards.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-3976 require immediate implementation of proper input validation and parameterized queries. Organizations should implement strict input sanitization measures to ensure that all user-supplied data passed to database queries undergoes proper validation and encoding before processing. The most effective approach involves using parameterized sql queries or stored procedures that separate sql code from data, preventing malicious input from being interpreted as sql commands. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and input filtering mechanisms can provide additional layers of protection. System administrators should also conduct comprehensive code reviews to identify similar vulnerabilities across other application components and ensure proper access controls are in place. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of secure coding practices and input validation in web application development. Organizations should also implement regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify and remediate similar injection vulnerabilities in their software ecosystems. Given the age of these vulnerable applications, upgrading to supported versions or migrating to more modern, secure platforms represents the most effective long-term solution to prevent exploitation of this and similar historical vulnerabilities.