CVE-2008-2114 in Pre Shopping Mall
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in emall/search.php in Pre Shopping Mall 1.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the search parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/21/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-2114 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the Pre Shopping Mall 1.1 e-commerce platform, specifically affecting the emall/search.php script. This vulnerability resides in the application's input validation mechanisms, where user-supplied data from the search parameter is directly incorporated into SQL query construction without proper sanitization or parameterization. The flaw enables remote attackers to manipulate the underlying database queries by injecting malicious SQL code through the search functionality, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous in e-commerce environments where sensitive customer information, transaction records, and product inventories are stored in database systems.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker submits crafted SQL payload through the search parameter in the emall/search.php endpoint. The application fails to implement proper input validation or parameterized queries, allowing the injected SQL commands to be executed within the database context. This type of vulnerability maps directly to CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection weaknesses in software applications. The attack vector is remote and requires no authentication, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by anyone who can access the vulnerable web application. The vulnerability demonstrates poor secure coding practices and highlights the importance of implementing proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-2114 extends beyond simple data theft, potentially allowing attackers to gain complete control over the database backend. Successful exploitation could result in unauthorized access to customer personal information, credit card details, and other sensitive data stored within the shopping mall's database. Attackers might also be able to modify product catalogs, alter pricing information, or even delete entire database tables. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system, violating fundamental security principles. From an attacker perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation and T1190 for exploit for client execution, as it represents a common attack pattern used in database compromise scenarios.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries throughout the application codebase. The recommended approach involves using prepared statements with parameter binding instead of dynamic SQL construction, which eliminates the possibility of SQL injection through user input. Additionally, implementing proper input sanitization, output encoding, and least privilege database access controls can significantly reduce the attack surface. Regular security code reviews, implementation of web application firewalls, and deployment of input validation libraries can further protect against similar vulnerabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing database activity monitoring and intrusion detection systems to identify potential exploitation attempts. The remediation process must include thorough testing of all database interactions to ensure that no other similar injection points exist within the application, as this vulnerability represents a systemic security weakness that may be present in other components of the platform.