CVE-2007-4808 in TLM CMS
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in TLM CMS 3.2 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via (1) the id parameter to news.php in a lirenews action, (2) the idnews parameter to goodies.php in a lire action, (3) the id parameter to file.php in a voir action, (4) the ID parameter to affichage.php, (5) the id_sal parameter to mod_forum/afficher.php, or (6) the id_sujet parameter to mod_forum/messages.php. NOTE: it was later reported that goodies.php and affichage.php scripts are reachable through index.php, and 1.1 is also affected. NOTE: it was later reported that the goodies.php vector also affects 3.1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/06/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-4808 represents a critical SQL injection flaw affecting TLM CMS version 3.2 and related versions 1.1 and 3.1. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within multiple script files that process user-supplied parameters without proper sanitization or parameterization. The flaw allows remote attackers to inject malicious SQL commands through various parameter names including id, idnews, id_sal, id_sujet, and ID, which are processed in different modules of the content management system. These parameters are directly incorporated into SQL queries without appropriate escaping or validation, creating a pathway for unauthorized database access and potential system compromise.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests across multiple entry points within the TLM CMS architecture, each representing a distinct code path where user input is improperly handled. The affected scripts include news.php with lirenews action, goodies.php with lire action, file.php with voir action, affichage.php, mod_forum/afficher.php with id_sal parameter, and mod_forum/messages.php with id_sujet parameter. Each of these locations processes user-supplied identifiers without proper validation, allowing attackers to manipulate the underlying database queries through malicious input. The vulnerability is classified as a classic SQL injection attack pattern where user-controllable data is concatenated directly into SQL statements, violating fundamental security principles of input sanitization and parameterized queries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with the capability to execute arbitrary SQL commands on the underlying database server. This can result in complete database compromise, data exfiltration, privilege escalation, and potentially full system control depending on the database permissions. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to extract sensitive information including user credentials, personal data, and system configuration details. The fact that multiple attack vectors exist across different modules increases the attack surface and makes the vulnerability more difficult to fully mitigate. Additionally, the reported reachability of goodies.php and affichage.php through index.php expands the exploitation possibilities and makes the vulnerability more accessible to attackers.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws in software systems. The attack vectors demonstrate multiple paths for exploitation that follow common patterns identified in the ATT&CK framework under the technique of "Querying Databases" and "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation." The vulnerability represents a critical weakness in the application's input validation and output encoding mechanisms, violating security best practices established by organizations like OWASP. The affected versions including 1.1 and 3.1 indicate a widespread issue that likely affects numerous installations, making this a particularly concerning vulnerability for organizations that may have legacy systems running these CMS versions. The remediation requires implementing proper parameterized queries, input validation, and output encoding across all affected scripts to prevent malicious SQL injection attempts.
The security implications of this vulnerability extend to compliance requirements and regulatory standards that mandate proper input validation and data protection measures. Organizations utilizing affected CMS versions face potential regulatory violations and security breaches that could result in significant financial and reputational damage. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of regular security assessments and patch management procedures, as the issue was reported in 2007 but likely affected systems well into later years. Effective mitigation strategies should include immediate patch deployment, web application firewall implementation, and comprehensive security auditing of all database interactions within the CMS environment to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future development cycles.