CVE-2008-0908 in Academic Portal
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in browse.asp in Schoolwires Academic Portal allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the c parameter. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained solely from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/05/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-0908 represents a critical sql injection flaw within the Schoolwires Academic Portal system, specifically affecting the browse.asp component. This weakness resides in how the application processes user input through the c parameter, creating an exploitable condition that enables remote attackers to manipulate database queries. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-89 which defines sql injection as the insertion of malicious sql code into input fields for execution by the database engine. The affected Schoolwires Academic Portal system demonstrates a fundamental failure in input validation and output encoding practices that directly violates secure coding principles established by the owasp top ten security risks.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker submits malicious input through the c parameter in the browse.asp script, allowing them to inject arbitrary sql commands that execute within the database context. This injection capability stems from the application's failure to properly sanitize or escape user-supplied data before incorporating it into sql query strings. The attack vector operates entirely through web-based interactions, requiring no local system access or privileged credentials, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by any remote user with access to the portal. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data theft to include complete database compromise, potential privilege escalation, and unauthorized access to sensitive educational information.
Operationally, this vulnerability poses severe risks to educational institutions utilizing Schoolwires Academic Portal systems, as it could enable attackers to extract student records, academic transcripts, personal information, and institutional data. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors could exploit this weakness from anywhere on the internet, potentially leading to large-scale data breaches affecting thousands of students and families. The vulnerability's presence in an academic portal system particularly raises concerns about privacy violations and compliance with educational data protection regulations such as FERPA. The attack could result in service disruption, data corruption, and significant reputational damage to educational institutions, while also potentially exposing the organization to legal liability and regulatory penalties.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should encompass multiple defensive layers including immediate implementation of input validation controls, parameterized queries, and proper output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should deploy web application firewalls to monitor and filter malicious sql injection attempts, while also implementing comprehensive database access controls and privilege management. The remediation process requires thorough code review and sanitization of all user input parameters, particularly those used in database query construction. Security teams should also establish regular vulnerability scanning procedures and maintain updated threat intelligence to detect similar injection patterns. This vulnerability's exploitation aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190 which describes the use of sql injection to gain access to database systems, emphasizing the need for comprehensive defensive measures including network segmentation and database monitoring to prevent unauthorized access and data exfiltration.