CVE-2008-0824 in Caroline
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the php2phps function in Claroline before 1.8.9 has unknown impact and attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/16/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-0824 resides within the php2phps function of Claroline learning management system versions prior to 1.8.9. This unspecified vulnerability represents a critical security flaw that could potentially allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or access sensitive system resources. Claroline is an open-source e-learning platform widely used in educational institutions for course management and online learning environments. The php2phps function appears to be responsible for converting php files into a format suitable for display or processing within the system, but contains a security weakness that could be exploited by malicious actors.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the php2phps function implementation. Attackers could potentially manipulate the function's behavior through crafted input parameters, leading to code execution or data exposure. This type of vulnerability typically falls under the category of code injection flaws as defined by CWE-94, which represents a common weakness in software security where untrusted data is executed as code. The unspecified impact suggests that the vulnerability could enable various attack vectors including but not limited to remote code execution, privilege escalation, or information disclosure. Without proper validation of user-supplied input, the function may be susceptible to malicious data manipulation that could compromise the entire system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability within Claroline environments is significant, particularly considering the widespread adoption of this platform in educational settings. Organizations using vulnerable versions of Claroline could face complete system compromise, allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to course materials, student data, and administrative functions. The attack vectors remain unspecified, but they likely involve sending malicious payloads through the php2phps function interface, potentially through file uploads, URL parameters, or direct input manipulation. This vulnerability could enable attackers to escalate privileges, execute arbitrary commands, or extract sensitive information from the system. The lack of specific details about the attack vectors does not diminish the severity but rather indicates the broad potential for exploitation across multiple attack scenarios.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-0824 should prioritize immediate patching of all affected Claroline installations to version 1.8.9 or later, as this represents the official fix for the vulnerability. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of the vulnerable system components. Regular security audits and input validation reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other system functions. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input sanitization and output encoding practices as recommended by OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of protection against exploitation attempts. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual activity patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability. Organizations should also consider conducting security awareness training for administrators to ensure proper system maintenance and vulnerability management practices are followed.