CVE-2005-4170 in eFiction
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in eFiction 1.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the uid parameter to viewuser.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/23/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-4170 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the eFiction 1.1 web application, specifically affecting the viewuser.php script. This vulnerability resides in the application's handling of user input parameters, where the uid parameter fails to properly sanitize or validate incoming data before incorporating it into database queries. The flaw allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary SQL commands through the uid parameter, potentially enabling complete database compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive user information.
This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-89, which categorizes SQL injection as a weakness where untrusted data is incorporated into SQL commands without proper sanitization or parameterization. The attack vector exploits the lack of input validation mechanisms within the viewuser.php script, which processes user identifiers without implementing secure coding practices such as prepared statements or proper input filtering. The remote nature of this vulnerability means that attackers can exploit it from any location without requiring physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in web-facing applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to execute arbitrary database commands with the privileges of the database user account. This could result in data modification, deletion, or unauthorized access to sensitive user information including usernames, passwords, and personal details. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system, potentially leading to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to the underlying database infrastructure. Attackers could leverage this flaw to escalate privileges, create backdoors, or establish persistent access to the compromised environment.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries within the affected application. The recommended approach involves modifying the viewuser.php script to utilize prepared statements or stored procedures that separate SQL command structure from user data, thereby preventing malicious SQL code injection. Additionally, implementing proper input sanitization routines and validating all user-supplied data against expected formats can significantly reduce the attack surface. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and input filtering mechanisms as additional defensive layers. The remediation process should include thorough code review and security testing to ensure that similar vulnerabilities do not exist in other parts of the application, aligning with the principles of secure software development practices outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify and address similar weaknesses in the application's codebase, preventing exploitation through techniques such as those documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework's database access tactics.