CVE-2005-4224 in e107
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple "potential" SQL injection vulnerabilities in e107 0.7 might allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via (1) the email, hideemail, image, realname, signature, timezone, and xupexist parameters in signup.php, (2) the content_comment, content_rating, and content_summary parameters in subcontent.php, (3) the download_category and file_demo in upload.php, and (4) the email, hideemail, user_timezone, and user_xup parameters in usersettings.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/11/2019
The CVE-2005-4224 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw affecting e107 version 0.7 content management system. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization across multiple user-facing script parameters, creating multiple attack vectors that could enable remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the underlying database. The flaw specifically manifests in four distinct files within the application's codebase, each containing parameters that directly influence database queries without proper sanitization mechanisms. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-89, which defines SQL injection as the insertion of malicious SQL code into database queries through untrusted input, making it one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws in the industry.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through parameter manipulation in four separate PHP scripts that handle user registration, content management, file uploads, and user settings. In signup.php, attackers can manipulate email, hideemail, image, realname, signature, timezone, and xupexist parameters to inject malicious SQL payloads that bypass authentication mechanisms and potentially escalate privileges. The subcontent.php script presents additional attack surfaces through content_comment, content_rating, and content_summary parameters that can be exploited to manipulate content-related database entries. The upload.php file introduces risks via download_category and file_demo parameters, while usersettings.php provides access through email, hideemail, user_timezone, and user_xup parameters that can compromise user account information and system integrity.
The operational impact of CVE-2005-4224 extends beyond simple data theft, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to gain complete database control, modify user credentials, access sensitive personal information, and potentially establish persistent backdoors within the affected system. This vulnerability particularly threatens web applications using e107 0.7 as it provides multiple entry points for attackers to compromise different aspects of the application's functionality. The attack surface is amplified by the fact that these parameters are typically used during user registration, content management, and account modification processes, meaning legitimate users might inadvertently trigger the vulnerability during normal system usage. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application, where attackers leverage publicly accessible web interfaces to gain unauthorized access to backend systems through input validation flaws.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-4224 should prioritize immediate patching of the e107 0.7 application to the latest available version that addresses these SQL injection vulnerabilities. Organizations should implement proper input validation and parameterized queries throughout all affected scripts, ensuring that user-supplied data undergoes rigorous sanitization before being processed in database operations. The implementation of web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of protection against exploitation attempts. Security teams should also conduct thorough code reviews to identify similar patterns of insufficient input validation that might exist in other parts of the application. Database access controls should be reviewed to ensure that application accounts have minimal required privileges, and regular security audits should be performed to detect and remediate similar vulnerabilities across the entire application stack. The vulnerability serves as a prime example of why input validation must be implemented at multiple layers of application architecture and why the principle of least privilege should always be enforced in database access management.