CVE-2006-4547 in List Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Lyris ListManager 8.95 allows remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive information by attempting to add a user with a (single quote) character in the name, which reveals the details of the underlying SQL query, possibly because of a forced SQL error or SQL injection.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/30/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-4547 affects Lyris ListManager version 8.95, a widely used email list management system that enables organizations to manage email distribution lists and user subscriptions. This security flaw represents a classic sql injection vulnerability that arises from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the application's user management functionality. The vulnerability specifically manifests when authenticated users attempt to add new users to the system, making it particularly concerning as it requires only legitimate user credentials to exploit.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a simple yet effective technique involving the insertion of a single quote character into the username field during user creation. This seemingly innocuous input triggers a cascading error condition within the application's database interaction layer, causing the system to reveal internal database query structures and potentially sensitive information about the underlying database schema. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of user-supplied input within sql query construction, where the application fails to properly escape or sanitize special characters before incorporating them into database operations.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for organizations relying on Lyris ListManager for their email communications infrastructure. The disclosure of sql query details provides attackers with valuable intelligence about the database structure, potentially exposing table names, column structures, and query patterns that could facilitate further exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-89 which specifically addresses sql injection flaws, and it maps to ATT&CK technique T1213.002 related to data from information repositories, as it enables unauthorized access to database information. Organizations may face regulatory compliance issues and potential data breaches if this information is used to gain deeper access to the underlying database system.
The exploitation process demonstrates a fundamental weakness in input validation practices within the application's user management interface. When the single quote character is processed, it disrupts the expected sql syntax and forces the database to return error messages containing the actual query structure. This error-based information disclosure approach is particularly dangerous because it provides attackers with the exact sql syntax used by the application, potentially enabling more sophisticated attacks against the same system. The vulnerability represents a failure in implementing proper parameterized queries or sql escaping mechanisms, which are fundamental security practices recommended by both owasp and nist guidelines for preventing sql injection attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input sanitization and parameterized query execution throughout the application's database interaction layers. Organizations should immediately apply vendor patches if available or implement application-level fixes that properly escape or validate all user-supplied input before database processing. The recommended approach involves using prepared statements or parameterized queries that separate sql command structure from data values, thereby preventing malicious input from altering the intended query execution. Additionally, implementing proper error handling that does not expose internal database information to end users is crucial. Network segmentation and access controls should also be reviewed to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Regular security testing including sql injection vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify and remediate similar issues in other applications within the organization's infrastructure.