CVE-2005-4259 in ASPBB
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in ASPBB 0.4 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the (1) TID parameter in topic.asp, (2) FORUM_ID parameter in forum.asp, and (3) PROFILE_ID parameter in profile.asp. NOTE: the provenance of this issue is unknown; the details are obtained solely from the BID.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/22/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-4259 represents a critical security flaw in the ASPBB 0.4 web application that enables remote attackers to perform unauthorized SQL command execution through multiple input parameters. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of SQL injection attacks, which occur when user input is improperly validated and directly incorporated into database queries without proper sanitization or parameterization. The affected parameters TID in topic.asp, FORUM_ID in forum.asp, and PROFILE_ID in profile.asp all serve as entry points for malicious input that can be exploited to manipulate the underlying database operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly validate and sanitize user-supplied input before incorporating it into SQL queries. When an attacker submits malicious input through any of these three parameters, the application processes the data without adequate filtering mechanisms, allowing SQL commands embedded within the input to be executed by the database engine. This flaw directly corresponds to CWE-89, which defines SQL injection as the insertion of malicious SQL code into input fields for execution by the database. The vulnerability's exploitation potential is significant as it allows attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms, extract sensitive data, modify database contents, or even execute system commands depending on the database management system's configuration and privileges.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to organizations using ASPBB 0.4 as their bulletin board system, as it enables complete database compromise without requiring authentication or physical access to the system. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to user accounts, personal information, forum posts, and potentially escalate privileges to execute arbitrary code on the server. The impact extends beyond simple data theft to include potential service disruption, data corruption, and compliance violations under various regulatory frameworks such as gdpr, hipaa, and pci dss. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that these parameters are likely accessible through normal forum navigation and user interaction flows, making the exploitation relatively straightforward for attackers with basic technical knowledge.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries throughout the application codebase. Organizations should immediately implement input sanitization routines that filter or escape special characters commonly used in SQL injection attacks, including single quotes, semicolons, and comment markers. The implementation of prepared statements or parameterized queries should be prioritized to ensure that user input is treated as data rather than executable code. Additionally, the application should enforce proper access controls and privilege separation, ensuring that database accounts used by the web application have minimal required permissions. Security monitoring and intrusion detection systems should be deployed to identify potential exploitation attempts, while regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. This vulnerability exemplifies the importance of following secure coding practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploiting vulnerabilities in web applications.