CVE-2008-2034 in Download Monitor Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in wp-download_monitor/download.php in the Download Monitor 2.0.6 plugin for WordPress allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the id 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 • 11/17/2017
The CVE-2008-2034 vulnerability represents a critical sql injection flaw within the download monitor plugin for wordpress systems. This vulnerability specifically affects version 2.0.6 of the plugin and resides in the download.php file within the wp-download_monitor directory structure. The security flaw manifests through the improper handling of the id parameter which is passed to the vulnerable script. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious sql commands through the id parameter, allowing them to execute arbitrary sql queries against the underlying database system. This vulnerability falls under the category of cwe-89 sql injection as defined by the common weakness enumeration framework, which categorizes it as a direct injection attack where untrusted data enters the application through an input vector and is directly incorporated into sql commands without proper sanitization or parameterization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or modification. Since the attacker can execute arbitrary sql commands, they gain extensive control over the database backend that hosts the wordpress installation. This could potentially allow for complete database compromise including data extraction, modification of user credentials, content manipulation, or even database destruction. The vulnerability affects wordpress installations that have the download monitor plugin enabled, making it particularly dangerous for content management systems that rely heavily on plugin functionality for file distribution and access control. The remote nature of this attack means that malicious actors do not require physical access to the server or administrative privileges to exploit the vulnerability, significantly expanding the attack surface.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with several tactics described in the mitre att&ck framework under the execution and privilege escalation domains. The ability to execute arbitrary sql commands constitutes a form of code execution that can be leveraged to establish persistent access or escalate privileges within the database environment. The exploitation process typically involves sending specially crafted requests to the vulnerable download.php endpoint with malicious id parameter values that bypass normal input validation. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input sanitization and parameterized queries in web application development, as the flaw exists due to the lack of proper input validation mechanisms. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects a widely used plugin, making the attack surface much larger than typical isolated application flaws.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-2034 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the sql injection vulnerability. System administrators should also implement input validation at multiple layers including web application firewalls, database level restrictions, and application level parameter sanitization. The use of prepared statements and parameterized queries should be enforced throughout the application codebase to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and database user permissions can limit the potential damage from successful exploitation attempts. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify and remediate similar issues before they can be exploited by malicious actors. Organizations should also maintain up-to-date backup systems to ensure rapid recovery in case of successful compromise, as this vulnerability could potentially lead to complete system takeover through database manipulation. The remediation process should include thorough testing of updated plugin versions to ensure compatibility with existing wordpress installations while maintaining security integrity.