CVE-2006-2879 in News-Engine
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in newscomments.php in Alex News-Engine 1.5.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the newsid parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/28/2018
The CVE-2006-2879 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the Alex News-Engine 1.5.0 software suite, specifically affecting the newscomments.php component. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly filter user-supplied data before incorporating it into database queries. The affected parameter, newsid, serves as the primary attack vector where malicious actors can inject specially crafted SQL commands that bypass normal authentication and authorization controls. The vulnerability exists due to the application's direct concatenation of user input into SQL query strings without proper parameterization or escaping mechanisms, creating an environment where attackers can manipulate database operations through seemingly benign input fields.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-89, which categorizes SQL injection as a direct consequence of insufficient input sanitization and improper query construction. When an attacker submits malicious input through the newsid parameter, the application processes this data without adequate validation, allowing SQL commands to be executed with the privileges of the database user account under which the web application operates. This flaw enables attackers to perform unauthorized database operations including data retrieval, modification, deletion, and potentially administrative actions on the database system itself. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data theft as it can facilitate complete system compromise when combined with other exploitation techniques.
Operationally, this vulnerability poses severe risks to organizations utilizing Alex News-Engine 1.5.0 or earlier versions, as it provides remote attackers with unrestricted access to the underlying database infrastructure. Attackers can leverage this weakness to extract sensitive information such as user credentials, personal data, and business-critical information stored within the database. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur from any location without requiring physical access to the system, making it particularly dangerous for web-based applications. Additionally, the vulnerability can serve as a stepping stone for further attacks within a network environment, as compromised database access often provides attackers with additional attack surfaces and potential lateral movement opportunities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2006-2879 should prioritize immediate remediation through software updates to versions that address the SQL injection vulnerability. Organizations must implement proper input validation and sanitization techniques, including the use of parameterized queries or prepared statements that separate SQL code from data input. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by ensuring database accounts used by web applications have minimal required permissions and access rights. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of defense, while regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1190 (Exploit Public-Facing Application) and T1071.004 (Application Layer Protocol: DNS) when attackers use the vulnerability to establish persistent access or exfiltrate data through DNS tunneling techniques.