CVE-2008-0689 in Com Marketplace
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in index.php in the Marketplace (com_marketplace) 1.1.1 and 1.1.1-pl1 component for Joomla! allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the catid parameter in a show_category action.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/15/2024
The CVE-2008-0689 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw discovered in the Joomla! Marketplace component version 1.1.1 and 1.1.1-pl1. This vulnerability specifically targets the index.php file within the com_marketplace component, creating a dangerous pathway for remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the underlying database. The flaw manifests when the catid parameter is passed through a show_category action, allowing malicious actors to manipulate database queries through crafted input. The vulnerability falls under the category of improper input validation, which is classified as CWE-89 in the Common Weakness Enumeration system, representing one of the most prevalent and dangerous classes of web application vulnerabilities.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the catid parameter in the show_category action, which is processed by the index.php script without proper sanitization or validation. When an attacker submits malicious input through this parameter, the application fails to properly escape or filter the input before incorporating it into SQL queries. This allows attackers to inject additional SQL commands that can be executed with the privileges of the database user account used by the web application. The impact extends beyond simple data retrieval, as successful exploitation can lead to complete database compromise, data exfiltration, and potentially full system compromise depending on the database user's privileges and the underlying database system configuration.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability poses significant risk to Joomla! websites utilizing the Marketplace component, particularly those handling sensitive user data, product information, or transactional data. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur from anywhere on the internet without requiring local access or authentication to the system. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to extract sensitive information including user credentials, personal data, and business-critical information stored in the database. The vulnerability also provides potential for privilege escalation attacks, where attackers might gain elevated database access privileges that could enable further compromise of the web application or underlying infrastructure. This type of vulnerability directly maps to the ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols and T1213.002 for Data from Information Repositories, as it involves web application exploitation and database access.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement multiple layers of mitigation strategies. The primary and most critical mitigation involves applying the official patch released by the Joomla installation, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input handling across all web application components. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of keeping all third-party components updated and following secure coding practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and other industry security standards.