CVE-2006-6525 in HR Assist
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in vdateUsr.asp in EzHRS HR Assist 1.05 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the password parameter. NOTE: The provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained solely from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/12/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-6525 represents a critical sql injection flaw in the EzHRS HR Assist 1.05 software suite, specifically within the vdateUsr.asp component. This vulnerability exists due to insufficient input validation and sanitization of user-supplied data, particularly the password parameter that is processed through the web application's authentication mechanism. The flaw enables remote attackers to manipulate the underlying database queries by injecting malicious sql code through the password field, potentially compromising the entire database infrastructure. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-89 which specifically addresses sql injection vulnerabilities where untrusted data is directly incorporated into sql commands without proper sanitization or parameterization. This type of vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK technique T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application, as it targets publicly accessible web interfaces that process user input.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker submits malicious sql payloads through the password parameter in the vdateUsr.asp script. The application fails to properly validate or escape the input data before incorporating it into sql queries, allowing attackers to manipulate the intended query execution flow. This can result in unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion operations on the underlying database. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it affects the authentication mechanism, potentially allowing attackers to bypass user validation entirely or escalate privileges within the system. The lack of proper input sanitization means that attackers can inject sql commands that may execute with the privileges of the database user account under which the web application operates, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with the capability to manipulate the entire human resources database structure. An attacker could potentially extract sensitive employee information, modify personnel records, or even delete critical database entries that could disrupt business operations. The vulnerability's remote nature means that exploitation does not require physical access to the system, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited from anywhere on the internet. The affected version 1.05 and earlier of EzHRS HR Assist indicates this was likely an older system that may have lacked modern security features such as prepared statements or proper input validation frameworks. Organizations relying on this software would face significant risk of data breaches and potential regulatory compliance violations, particularly in environments handling sensitive personal information.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of the affected software to version 1.06 or later, as provided by the vendor. In the interim, administrators should implement input validation measures such as parameterized queries, proper sql escaping, and input sanitization routines to prevent malicious data from being processed as sql commands. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems should be configured to monitor for sql injection patterns in traffic to the vulnerable endpoint. Additionally, implementing the principle of least privilege for database accounts used by the web application can limit the potential damage from successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to established security standards such as those outlined in the owasp top ten project, specifically addressing the prevention of sql injection vulnerabilities through proper input validation and parameterized database queries. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in their legacy systems.