CVE-2006-0602 in phphg Guestbook
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in Hinton Design phphg Guestbook 1.2 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the (1) username parameter to check.php or the id parameter to (2) admin/edit_smilie.php, (3) admin/add_theme.php, (4) admin/ban_ip.php, (5) admin/add_lang.php, or (6) admin/edit_filter.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/04/2017
The CVE-2006-0602 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw in the Hinton Design phphg Guestbook version 1.2, a web-based guestbook application that was widely used for managing user comments and interactions on websites. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the application's PHP scripts, creating exploitable entry points that allow remote attackers to manipulate the underlying database through maliciously crafted SQL commands. The vulnerability affects multiple endpoints within the application's administrative interface, making it particularly dangerous as it provides access to sensitive administrative functions that control the guestbook's core operations and data management capabilities.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of specific HTTP parameters that are directly incorporated into SQL query constructions without proper sanitization or parameterization. Attackers can target the username parameter in check.php to inject malicious SQL code, or exploit the id parameter across several administrative scripts including admin/edit_smilie.php, admin/add_theme.php, admin/ban_ip.php, admin/add_lang.php, and admin/edit_filter.php. These parameters are processed directly within database queries, bypassing any input validation mechanisms that should normally prevent malicious code execution. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws where untrusted data is incorporated into SQL commands without proper escaping or parameterization, making it a classic example of insecure database query construction.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data theft, as successful exploitation allows attackers to gain complete control over the guestbook's database and potentially the underlying web server. Remote attackers can execute arbitrary SQL commands to extract sensitive user information, modify or delete database records, inject malicious code into the application, or even escalate privileges to gain administrative access to the web server itself. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of all guestbook data including user comments, personal information, and administrative configurations. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that these administrative endpoints are typically protected by authentication mechanisms, but the SQL injection flaw can bypass these protections by directly manipulating database queries that handle authentication and authorization logic.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability maps directly to several ATT&CK techniques including T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation and T1213.002 for data from information repositories, as attackers can systematically extract and manipulate stored data. The vulnerability also aligns with T1566 for phishing and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter, as attackers may use the compromised system to launch further attacks or establish persistent access. Organizations using this vulnerable version of phphg Guestbook face significant risk of data breaches, service disruption, and potential regulatory violations under data protection laws. The vulnerability represents a fundamental flaw in the application's security architecture, where input validation occurs at the wrong layer and fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before database interaction. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching or upgrading to a secure version of the application, implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries, and conducting comprehensive security assessments of all web applications to identify similar vulnerabilities. Additionally, network segmentation and web application firewalls should be deployed to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities and provide additional layers of protection against similar attacks targeting database systems.