CVE-2007-2988 in Inout Meta Search Engine
Summary
by MITRE
A certain admin script in Inout Meta Search Engine sends a redirect to the web browser but does not exit when administrative credentials are missing, which allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary PHP code, as demonstrated by a request to admin/create_engine.php followed by a request to admin/generate_tabs.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/19/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-2988 resides within the Inout Meta Search Engine administrative interface, specifically affecting the admin script functionality that handles redirect operations. This issue represents a critical security flaw that stems from improper access control and code execution mechanisms within the web application's administrative components. The vulnerability manifests when administrative credentials are not properly validated, creating a pathway for unauthorized remote code execution through carefully crafted HTTP requests.
The technical flaw occurs in the administrative script execution flow where the system performs a redirect operation without ensuring proper termination of the current script execution. This design oversight creates a condition where subsequent code execution can occur even when authentication has failed or is absent. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows attackers to inject arbitrary PHP code through specific administrative endpoints, specifically targeting the create_engine.php and generate_tabs.php files within the admin directory structure. This behavior violates fundamental security principles of authentication enforcement and input validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides remote attackers with complete administrative control over the affected web application. Attackers can leverage this flaw to execute malicious PHP code directly on the server hosting the Inout Meta Search Engine, potentially leading to data compromise, service disruption, or full system compromise. The vulnerability enables attackers to bypass normal authentication mechanisms and gain unauthorized access to administrative functions that should only be available to legitimate administrators. This type of vulnerability is classified under CWE-284, which addresses improper access control issues in software applications.
The attack vector demonstrated in this vulnerability involves sequential HTTP requests that exploit the missing exit condition in the administrative script. When an attacker makes a request to admin/create_engine.php followed by admin/generate_tabs.php, the system's failure to properly terminate execution after credential validation allows for code injection. This pattern aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059, which covers the execution of code through command and scripting interpreters, and T1566, which covers credential harvesting through various attack vectors. The vulnerability essentially creates a backdoor that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the web server process.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper access control mechanisms and code execution flow management. System administrators should ensure that all administrative scripts properly validate credentials and terminate execution when authentication fails. The fix involves adding explicit exit or die statements after redirect operations in administrative scripts to prevent unintended code execution. Additionally, implementing proper input validation, output encoding, and access control checks throughout the application framework will help prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in other components. Regular security audits and code reviews focusing on authentication flows and script termination conditions are essential to maintain application security. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect against unauthorized code execution attacks.