CVE-2007-0372 in PHP-Nuke
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in Francisco Burzi PHP-Nuke 7.9 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via (1) the active parameter in admin/modules/modules.php; the (2) ad_class, (3) imageurl, (4) clickurl, (5) ad_code, or (6) position parameter in modules/Advertising/admin/index.php; or unspecified vectors in the (7) advertising, (8) weblinks, or (9) reviews section.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/08/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-0372 represents a critical SQL injection flaw affecting Francisco Burzi PHP-Nuke version 7.9, a widely used content management system and web application framework. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the application's database interaction layers, creating multiple entry points for malicious actors to manipulate underlying SQL queries. The flaw exists across several administrative modules and sections of the application, making it particularly dangerous as it provides attackers with multiple potential vectors for exploitation. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection weaknesses in software applications, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploiting vulnerabilities in web applications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of HTTP parameters that are directly incorporated into SQL query strings without proper sanitization or parameterization. When attackers supply malicious input through the active parameter in admin/modules/modules.php, or through various parameters including ad_class, imageurl, clickurl, ad_code, and position in modules/Advertising/admin/index.php, the application fails to properly escape or validate these inputs. This allows attackers to inject arbitrary SQL commands that execute with the privileges of the database user account under which the PHP-Nuke application operates. The unspecified vectors in advertising, weblinks, and reviews sections further compound the risk by providing additional attack surfaces where similar input validation failures occur.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, potentially allowing remote attackers to gain complete control over the affected database system. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to extract sensitive data including user credentials, personal information, and application configuration details. The vulnerability also permits attackers to modify or delete database contents, potentially leading to data corruption or complete system compromise. In many cases, the database user account may have elevated privileges, allowing attackers to execute system-level commands or escalate their access to the underlying operating system. This represents a critical risk for organizations relying on PHP-Nuke for their web presence, as the vulnerability could lead to complete system takeover and data breaches.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching and input validation improvements. Organizations must update to the latest version of PHP-Nuke that addresses these SQL injection flaws, as the vendor would have implemented proper parameterization and input sanitization mechanisms. The implementation of prepared statements or parameterized queries should be enforced throughout the application codebase to prevent direct concatenation of user inputs into SQL commands. Additionally, input validation should be strengthened at multiple layers including application-level filtering, web application firewalls, and database access controls. Network segmentation and privilege separation should be implemented to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation, ensuring that database accounts used by the application have minimal required privileges. Regular security auditing and code review processes should be established to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other parts of the application infrastructure.