CVE-2005-4230 in Link Up Gold
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in poll.php in Link Up Gold 2.5 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the number parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/01/2017
The CVE-2005-4230 vulnerability represents a critical sql injection flaw discovered in the poll.php script of Link Up Gold version 2.5 and earlier. This vulnerability resides within the handling of user input parameters, specifically the number parameter which is processed without adequate sanitization or validation. The flaw allows remote attackers to inject malicious sql code directly into the application's database queries, potentially enabling complete database compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive information. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly escape or validate user-supplied data before incorporating it into sql statements, creating an exploitable condition that violates fundamental security principles of input validation and output encoding.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the number parameter is passed to the poll.php script without proper sanitization. Attackers can construct malicious sql payloads that manipulate the intended database query execution, potentially allowing them to extract, modify, or delete database records. This type of vulnerability maps directly to common weakness enumerations such as CWE-89, which specifically addresses sql injection flaws, and aligns with attack techniques documented in the attack tree framework under T1190 for exploitation of sql injection vulnerabilities. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe because it enables arbitrary code execution within the database context, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges and gain deeper system access.
The operational impact of CVE-2005-4230 extends beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with the capability to completely compromise the application's database layer. Remote exploitation means that attackers can execute commands from any location without requiring physical access to the system, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in web-facing applications. Successful exploitation could result in data breaches, unauthorized modifications to poll results, complete database destruction, or serving as a foothold for further network penetration. The vulnerability affects not only the immediate application but also potentially impacts other systems that share the same database infrastructure, creating cascading security implications that align with attack patterns described in the attack mitigation framework.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security hardening. The primary fix involves implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries to prevent sql injection attacks, which directly addresses the underlying CWE-89 weakness. Organizations should immediately upgrade to patched versions of Link Up Gold or implement proper input sanitization techniques that escape special sql characters and validate parameter ranges. Additional defensive measures include implementing web application firewalls, database activity monitoring, and regular security audits to detect and prevent similar vulnerabilities. The remediation process should also include comprehensive code review practices that enforce secure coding standards and adherence to industry best practices for sql query construction, as outlined in various security frameworks including those addressing data validation and secure coding practices.