CVE-2007-4581 in acrotxt
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in acrotxt.php in WBB2-Addon: Acrotxt 1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the show parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/01/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-4581 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the Acrotxt 1 addon for WBB2, a widely used bulletin board system. This vulnerability specifically affects the acrotxt.php script which processes user input through the show parameter, creating an exploitable pathway for malicious actors to execute unauthorized database operations. The flaw resides in the insufficient sanitization of user-supplied data, allowing attackers to inject malicious SQL code directly into the application's database query execution flow.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the acrotxt.php file where the show parameter is directly incorporated into SQL queries without adequate escaping or parameterization. This design flaw aligns with CWE-89, which categorizes SQL injection vulnerabilities as a direct result of insufficient input sanitization and improper query construction. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious input strings that manipulate the SQL query structure, potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive data, modifying database records, or executing administrative commands on the underlying database system. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires no special privileges to exploit, making it particularly dangerous for systems where the web application has elevated database permissions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it can enable full database compromise and potentially lead to complete system takeover. Remote attackers can leverage this vulnerability to extract confidential information including user credentials, personal data, and system configurations stored within the database. The attack surface is broad since the vulnerability affects the WBB2 bulletin board system, which was widely deployed in enterprise and organizational environments. The exploitation process typically involves sending specially crafted HTTP requests containing malicious SQL payloads through the show parameter, which then gets executed by the vulnerable application. This type of attack falls under the ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation and T1213.002 for data from databases, representing both network and database-based attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-4581 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected WBB2-Addon: Acrotxt 1 component to ensure proper input validation and parameterized query execution. Organizations must implement proper input sanitization techniques including the use of prepared statements and parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection attacks. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of defense by monitoring for suspicious SQL injection patterns. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the system architecture. The remediation process should also include implementing proper access controls and privilege management to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Security teams should monitor for exploitation attempts through log analysis and implement comprehensive backup and recovery procedures to ensure business continuity in case of successful compromise.