CVE-2006-0888 in IP.Board
Summary
by MITRE
index.php in Invision Power Board (IPB) 2.0.1, with Code Confirmation disabled, allows remote attackers to cause an unspecified denial of service by registering a large number of users.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/16/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-0888 affects Invision Power Board version 2.0.1, specifically when the Code Confirmation feature is disabled. This represents a significant security weakness that enables remote attackers to perform denial of service attacks through user account enumeration. The flaw exists within the index.php file of the application, which handles user registration processes and fails to properly validate or limit the rate of user account creation. When Code Confirmation is disabled, the system lacks adequate mechanisms to prevent automated or malicious registration attempts that could overwhelm the platform's resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and rate limiting mechanisms within the user registration workflow. Attackers can exploit this weakness by creating numerous user accounts in rapid succession, potentially exhausting system resources or triggering memory allocation issues within the application's user management subsystem. This type of attack falls under the category of resource exhaustion attacks and can be classified as a CWE-400 vulnerability related to unspecified resource exhaustion. The absence of proper account creation throttling or CAPTCHA mechanisms when Code Confirmation is disabled creates an exploitable condition that allows for automated account generation without adequate restrictions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can severely compromise the integrity and availability of the entire forum platform. When exploited successfully, the denial of service condition can render the forum inaccessible to legitimate users while potentially causing system instability or crashes. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where IPB serves as a community platform or discussion forum, as attackers could systematically undermine the service by creating thousands of dummy accounts. The attack vector is straightforward and requires minimal technical expertise, making it particularly dangerous as it can be executed by anyone with internet access and basic automation tools.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper rate limiting mechanisms for user registration processes, enabling Code Confirmation by default, and establishing account creation monitoring systems. Organizations should ensure that Code Confirmation is always enabled, as this feature provides essential protection against automated account creation. Additionally, implementing CAPTCHA systems, IP address rate limiting, and account creation thresholds can significantly reduce the risk of exploitation. The remediation aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for resource exhaustion attacks and should be addressed through proper security configuration management. System administrators should also monitor for unusual account creation patterns and implement automated alerts for rapid response to potential exploitation attempts.