CVE-2007-3244 in bbPress
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in bb-includes/formatting-functions.php in bbPress before 0.8.1 might allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via unspecified vectors to forums/bb-edit.php, as demonstrated by a PRE element, aka the "quircky slashes bug."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/12/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-3244 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the bbPress forum software ecosystem, specifically targeting version 0.8.0 and earlier. This vulnerability resides in the bb-includes/formatting-functions.php file and manifests through the forums/bb-edit.php script, creating a dangerous attack surface that enables remote code execution through maliciously crafted SQL commands. The issue was particularly concerning because it exploited a subtle parsing mechanism that occurred when processing HTML elements, specifically the PRE element which served as the demonstration vector for the exploit.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization and improper handling of user-supplied data within the bbPress framework's formatting functions. When users submitted content containing specially crafted PRE elements, the application failed to properly escape or filter the input before incorporating it into SQL queries. This failure directly maps to CWE-89, which categorizes SQL injection vulnerabilities as weaknesses that occur when an application incorporates user input directly into SQL commands without proper sanitization. The vulnerability's classification as a SQL injection flaw means that attackers could manipulate the database layer to execute arbitrary commands, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or corruption, as it provides attackers with the ability to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized access to the underlying database system. Remote attackers could leverage this flaw to extract sensitive information, modify forum content, inject malicious code, or even establish persistent backdoors within the compromised system. The "quircky slashes bug" moniker suggests that the vulnerability was particularly insidious due to its reliance on specific character sequences and parsing behavior that made detection more difficult for security monitoring systems. This characteristic aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004, which covers application layer protocol manipulation, where attackers exploit parsing inconsistencies to bypass security controls.
The attack vector demonstrates how seemingly innocuous HTML elements can become dangerous when processed through vulnerable applications, highlighting the importance of comprehensive input validation across all user-facing interfaces. The vulnerability's exploitation required minimal technical expertise, making it particularly dangerous as it could be leveraged by attackers with limited advanced skills. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability exemplifies why web applications must implement robust input validation and output encoding practices, particularly in environments where user-generated content is processed and stored in databases. The patch for this vulnerability required updates to the input sanitization routines in bbPress version 0.8.1, which implemented proper escaping mechanisms for user-supplied data before database insertion, thereby preventing the injection of malicious SQL commands through the formatting functions.