CVE-2005-4419 in Honeycomb Archive Enterprise
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in CategoryResults.cfm in Honeycomb Archive and Honeycomb Archive Enterprise 3.0 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the (1) series, (2) cat_parent, (3) cat, and (4) div parameters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/17/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-4419 represents a critical SQL injection flaw affecting Honeycomb Archive and Honeycomb Archive Enterprise 3.0 software versions. This vulnerability resides within the CategoryResults.cfm component which processes user input parameters to generate dynamic database queries. The affected parameters include series, cat_parent, cat, and div which are all susceptible to malicious input manipulation. 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 query constructions. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection vulnerabilities where untrusted data is directly embedded into SQL commands without proper sanitization. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it allows remote exploitation without requiring authentication, making it accessible to any attacker with network access to the vulnerable system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic case of improper input handling where user parameters are directly concatenated into SQL statements without appropriate parameterization or escaping mechanisms. When an attacker submits malicious input through any of the four vulnerable parameters, the application fails to validate or sanitize the input before executing database operations. This creates an opportunity for attackers to inject malicious SQL code that gets executed with the privileges of the database user account. The operational impact extends beyond simple data theft as attackers can potentially gain full database access, modify or delete records, and even escalate privileges to system level access depending on the database configuration and permissions. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the Honeycomb Archive system which likely handles content categorization and retrieval, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to manipulate or extract sensitive information.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1190 technique for exploitation of remote services, specifically targeting web applications through SQL injection methods. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform various malicious activities including data exfiltration, unauthorized access to sensitive content, and potential system compromise. The impact on affected organizations includes potential data breaches, regulatory compliance violations, and reputational damage. Organizations using Honeycomb Archive 3.0 and similar legacy systems face particular risk as these applications often lack modern security features and may not receive regular security updates. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of input validation and the use of prepared statements or parameterized queries as recommended in industry security standards. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management strategies, conduct regular security assessments, and employ web application firewalls to protect against similar injection vulnerabilities.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of input validation controls and proper parameterization of database queries. Organizations should ensure all user-supplied parameters undergo rigorous sanitization before being processed by the application. The recommended approach involves implementing prepared statements or parameterized queries which separate SQL code from data, effectively preventing malicious input from altering the intended query structure. Additionally, organizations should deploy input validation rules that restrict parameter values to expected formats and lengths, and implement proper error handling that does not expose database structure information to end users. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the application stack. The vulnerability also underscores the necessity of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies including network segmentation, access controls, and monitoring systems to detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should consider migrating to more modern web application frameworks that provide built-in protections against SQL injection attacks and follow established security development lifecycle practices to prevent similar issues in future application development.