CVE-2005-4159 in Simple Machines
Summary
by MITRE
** DISPUTED ** NOTE: this issue has been disputed by the vendor and third parties. SQL injection vulnerability in Memberlist.php in Simple Machines Forum (SMF) 1.1 rc1 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the start parameter. NOTE: the vendor says that since only one character can be modified, there is no SQL injection. Thus this might be an "invalid SQL syntax error." Multiple followups support the vendor.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/08/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-4159 pertains to a potential SQL injection flaw discovered in Simple Machines Forum version 1.1 rc1 and earlier releases. This issue was initially reported as affecting the Memberlist.php script within the SMF platform, specifically targeting the start parameter which could allegedly be manipulated by remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands. The vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-89 which defines SQL injection as a condition where an application fails to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into SQL queries, thereby allowing malicious actors to manipulate database operations. The attack vector involves a remote unauthenticated user who can potentially inject malicious SQL code through the vulnerable parameter.
The technical exploitation mechanism revolves around the handling of the start parameter in the Memberlist.php script which likely processes user input without proper sanitization or validation. When an attacker supplies malicious input through this parameter, the application may concatenate the input directly into SQL query strings without appropriate escaping or parameterization. This vulnerability represents a classic example of improper input validation and insufficient query sanitization, where the application fails to distinguish between legitimate user data and potentially harmful SQL commands. The specific nature of the vulnerability suggests that the application's query construction process does not adequately protect against injection attacks, particularly when dealing with integer parameters that should be strictly validated.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability could have significant implications for forum administrators and users alike. If successfully exploited, attackers could potentially access, modify, or delete database records, extract sensitive information, or even escalate privileges within the system. The impact would extend beyond simple data corruption to potentially compromise the entire database infrastructure supporting the forum. However, the vendor and multiple third-party assessments have disputed the validity of this vulnerability, arguing that only a single character modification is possible, which would likely result in an invalid SQL syntax error rather than a functional injection. This dispute aligns with ATT&CK technique T1070.004 which covers "File and Directory Permissions Modification" and potentially T1566.001 related to "Phishing with Malicious Attachments" where such vulnerabilities might be exploited in more sophisticated attack chains.
The disputed nature of this vulnerability suggests that while the initial reporting may have indicated a legitimate concern, subsequent analysis has demonstrated that the actual exploitability is severely limited. The vendor's position that only one character can be modified indicates that the attack surface is extremely constrained, making the vulnerability more of a theoretical concern than a practical threat. This assessment reflects the importance of proper vulnerability validation and the need to distinguish between potential security weaknesses and actual exploitable flaws. The industry standard approach would require demonstrating that the vulnerability can indeed be exploited under realistic conditions, rather than merely identifying a potential code path. Security professionals should note that while the vulnerability may be technically classified as SQL injection, its practical exploitability remains questionable based on the vendor's assessment and supporting third-party analysis. The situation illustrates the complexity of vulnerability assessment and the importance of thorough testing and validation before declaring a security issue as exploitable.