CVE-2007-2520 in MyNews
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in admin.php in MyNews 0.10, when magic_quotes_gpc is disabled, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the authacc cookie.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/23/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-2520 represents a critical sql injection flaw within the MyNews 0.10 content management system. This weakness specifically targets the admin.php component and exploits a fundamental security oversight in input validation mechanisms. The vulnerability becomes particularly dangerous when the php configuration parameter magic_quotes_gpc is disabled, which removes the automatic escaping of special characters in GET, POST, and COOKIE data. This configuration setting serves as a crucial defense-in-depth measure that would normally prevent many injection attacks by automatically escaping single quotes, double quotes, and backslashes in user-supplied input. When this protection is disabled, the application becomes vulnerable to malicious input manipulation that can bypass normal security controls.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of the authacc cookie parameter within the admin.php script. Attackers can craft malicious cookie values that contain sql commands, which are then directly executed against the underlying database without proper sanitization or validation. This represents a classic sql injection attack vector where user-controllable data flows directly into sql query execution contexts. The flaw stems from improper input handling where the application fails to properly escape or parameterize user-supplied data before incorporating it into database queries. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-89 sql injection, which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws identified in the cwe dictionary. This weakness allows attackers to manipulate database queries through crafted input, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with complete administrative control over the affected system. Successful exploitation enables remote code execution capabilities that can result in full system compromise, data breaches, and potential lateral movement within network environments. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to extract sensitive information from the database, modify or delete content, create new administrative accounts, or even escalate privileges to gain deeper system access. The implications are particularly severe for web applications handling sensitive user data, as this vulnerability can lead to unauthorized access to personal information, financial records, or other confidential data. From an attacker perspective, this vulnerability aligns with the attack technique described in the mitre att&ck framework under the execution and privilege escalation categories, specifically targeting the credential access and persistence domains.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of multiple security controls to protect against sql injection attacks. The primary recommendation involves enabling proper input validation and output escaping mechanisms throughout the application codebase, particularly in areas where user data is processed and incorporated into database queries. The application should implement parameterized queries or prepared statements to ensure that user input is properly separated from sql command structure. Additionally, administrators must ensure that magic_quotes_gpc is enabled or implement equivalent input sanitization measures at the application level. Security patches should be applied immediately to upgrade from the vulnerable MyNews 0.10 version to a secure release that addresses this injection flaw. Network-based protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional layers of defense by detecting and blocking suspicious sql injection patterns in real-time traffic. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the application stack, as sql injection remains a persistent threat that requires continuous vigilance and proactive security measures.