CVE-2005-4313 in Almond Personals
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in index.php in AlmondSoft Almond Personals 4.05 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the id parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/01/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-4313 represents a critical sql injection flaw within the AlmondSoft Almond Personals 4.05 web application. This vulnerability specifically affects the index.php script and manifests through the id parameter, creating a pathway for remote attackers to execute arbitrary sql commands against the underlying database system. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly escape or filter user-supplied data before incorporating it into sql queries. This type of vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration category CWE-89, which specifically addresses sql injection vulnerabilities where untrusted data is directly embedded into sql command strings without proper sanitization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or manipulation to encompass complete system compromise. Remote attackers can leverage this weakness to gain unauthorized access to sensitive user data including personal information, login credentials, and potentially administrative privileges. The vulnerability enables attackers to perform read operations such as data extraction, write operations like data modification or deletion, and even execute destructive operations that could render the entire application unusable. According to the attack technique framework, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1190 which describes the exploitation of vulnerabilities in web applications to gain unauthorized access. The attack surface is particularly concerning because it allows for persistent access to the database without requiring authentication, making it a prime target for attackers seeking long-term system compromise.
The technical exploitation of CVE-2005-4313 occurs when an attacker submits a malicious value through the id parameter in the index.php script. The web application processes this input without proper validation, directly incorporating it into sql queries that are then executed against the database server. This creates opportunities for attackers to manipulate the sql execution flow through techniques such as union-based attacks, time-based blind sql injection, or error-based sql injection. The vulnerability exists due to the application's failure to implement proper parameterized queries or prepared statements, which are fundamental security practices recommended by industry standards including the owasp top ten and the iso/iec 27001 information security framework. Organizations running this vulnerable version of Almond Personals face significant risk of data breaches, regulatory compliance violations, and potential legal consequences due to the exposure of sensitive user information. The remediation approach requires immediate implementation of input validation, parameterized queries, and proper output encoding mechanisms to prevent sql injection attacks. Additionally, regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify and address similar vulnerabilities in the application's codebase.