CVE-2007-2599 in TutorialCMS
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in TutorialCMS (aka Photoshop Tutorials) 1.00 and earlier allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the (1) catFile parameter to (a) browseCat.php or (b) browseSubCat.php; the (2) id parameter to (c) openTutorial.php, (d) topFrame.php, or (e) admin/editListing.php; or (3) the search parameter to search.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/15/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-2599 represents a critical security flaw in TutorialCMS version 1.00 and earlier, specifically targeting SQL injection weaknesses that enable remote code execution. This vulnerability affects multiple components within the Photoshop Tutorials content management system, making it particularly dangerous due to its widespread impact across different application entry points. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly filter user-supplied data before incorporating it into SQL database queries.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through three distinct attack vectors that exploit the same fundamental weakness in parameter handling. The first vector targets the catFile parameter in browseCat.php and browseSubCat.php scripts, where unsanitized user input directly influences database query construction. The second vector exploits the id parameter across multiple files including openTutorial.php, topFrame.php, and admin/editListing.php, while the third vector targets the search parameter in search.php. All three attack paths demonstrate the same underlying vulnerability pattern where user-controllable inputs are concatenated into SQL statements without proper escaping or parameterization.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability provides attackers with significant privileges to manipulate the underlying database system. Successful exploitation could result in unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion of sensitive information stored within the CMS. The impact extends beyond simple data theft as attackers could potentially escalate privileges, gain persistence within the system, or even execute arbitrary commands on the underlying server. This type of vulnerability directly violates security principles outlined in the OWASP Top Ten, specifically addressing the SQL injection category that ranks among the most critical web application security risks.
The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-89, which defines SQL injection as the insertion of malicious SQL code into input fields for execution by the database. This weakness creates an attack surface that enables adversaries to bypass authentication mechanisms and gain unauthorized access to backend database resources. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application, where attackers leverage publicly accessible web applications to gain initial access to target systems. The impact severity is compounded by the fact that these vulnerabilities exist in multiple locations within the application, increasing the probability of successful exploitation and reducing the effort required by threat actors to achieve their objectives.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries throughout the application codebase. The recommended approach includes using prepared statements with parameter binding to prevent malicious SQL code from being executed. Additionally, implementing proper output encoding and input sanitization routines will significantly reduce the attack surface. Regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other parts of the application. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit the potential damage from successful exploitation attempts. The system administrators should also implement proper monitoring and logging mechanisms to detect suspicious database access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts.