CVE-2006-2239 in Newsadmin
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in readarticle.php in Newsadmin 1.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the nid parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/25/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-2239 represents a critical sql injection flaw within the Newsadmin 1.1 content management system specifically affecting the readarticle.php script. This vulnerability resides in the handling of the nid parameter which is used to retrieve and display news articles from a database. The flaw allows remote attackers to manipulate the sql query execution by injecting malicious sql commands through the nid parameter, potentially compromising the entire database backend. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-89 which categorizes sql injection as a weakness where untrusted data is incorporated into sql commands without proper sanitization or parameterization. This type of vulnerability falls under the attack pattern category described in ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploiting vulnerabilities in web applications and T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the readarticle.php script where user-supplied data from the nid parameter is directly concatenated into sql queries without adequate sanitization or parameterized query construction. When an attacker submits a malicious value through the nid parameter, the application processes this input and incorporates it into the database query execution path, allowing the attacker to manipulate the intended sql command structure. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it enables attackers to execute arbitrary sql commands, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, data modification, or even complete database compromise. This flaw demonstrates a classic lack of input sanitization and output encoding practices that are fundamental to preventing sql injection attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or modification to encompass potential system compromise and business disruption. Remote attackers could exploit this vulnerability to extract sensitive information including user credentials, personal data, or administrative access details stored within the database. The attack surface is particularly concerning as it affects a widely used content management system where the nid parameter is commonly utilized for article retrieval. Successful exploitation could result in complete database exposure, allowing attackers to manipulate or delete content, modify user permissions, or establish persistent access points within the affected system. The vulnerability also poses risks to data integrity and availability, potentially causing service disruption for legitimate users and organizations relying on the Newsadmin platform.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2006-2239 must address both immediate remediation and long-term security hardening measures. The primary recommendation involves implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries to prevent sql injection attacks by ensuring that user input is properly sanitized before being incorporated into database queries. Organizations should upgrade to patched versions of Newsadmin 1.1 or migrate to more modern content management systems that have built-in protections against sql injection vulnerabilities. Additional security measures include implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious sql injection attempts, restricting database user permissions to minimize potential damage from successful attacks, and conducting regular security audits of web applications. The implementation of proper error handling that does not expose database structure information to end users is also crucial. Organizations should also consider database activity monitoring and logging to detect suspicious sql query patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, following security best practices outlined in owasp top ten and other industry standards for web application security.