CVE-2008-2279 in Freelance Auction Script
Summary
by MITRE
Freelance Auction Script 1.0 stores user passwords in plaintext in the tbl_users table, which allows attackers to gain privileges by reading the table.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/22/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-2279 affects the Freelance Auction Script version 1.0, a web-based platform designed for online auction services. This security flaw represents a critical weakness in the application's authentication and authorization mechanisms, as it directly exposes user credentials through improper data storage practices. The vulnerability resides within the database schema where user authentication information is persisted without any form of cryptographic protection, creating an inherent risk that can be exploited by malicious actors with database access privileges. This flaw fundamentally undermines the security posture of the entire system by eliminating the basic requirement for password protection in web applications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to employ proper password hashing or encryption mechanisms during the user registration and authentication process. When users create accounts or update their credentials, the system stores the actual password values in the tbl_users table without any transformation or obfuscation. This plaintext storage approach violates fundamental security principles and creates a direct pathway for unauthorized access to user accounts. The vulnerability is classified as a weakness in data protection and storage mechanisms, aligning with CWE-256, which addresses the storage of passwords in plaintext format. The flaw demonstrates a complete lack of adherence to industry best practices for credential management and represents a failure in the application's security design phase.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple credential theft, as it provides attackers with unrestricted access to user accounts and potentially the entire system. An attacker who gains database access can immediately retrieve all user credentials and use them to impersonate legitimate users, access sensitive information, modify auction listings, or conduct fraudulent transactions. This vulnerability enables privilege escalation attacks where unauthorized individuals can assume the identities of other users, potentially leading to financial loss, data breaches, and reputational damage for the organization operating the auction platform. The attack surface is significantly expanded because the vulnerability exists at the data persistence layer rather than requiring additional exploitation vectors such as cross-site scripting or SQL injection attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both the immediate security breach and the underlying architectural weaknesses that permitted the flaw to exist. The primary remediation involves implementing proper password hashing mechanisms using industry-standard algorithms such as bcrypt, scrypt, or PBKDF2, which transform plaintext passwords into irreversible cryptographic hashes. Database schema modifications are essential to ensure that no plaintext passwords are stored, requiring the application to validate user credentials by hashing input passwords and comparing them against stored hash values. Organizations should implement the principle of least privilege for database access, restricting database user permissions to only essential operations and implementing robust access controls. Additionally, regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the application. This remediation approach aligns with the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation tactics, specifically targeting the credential access and persistence phases where attackers would exploit such weaknesses to maintain long-term access to compromised systems. The implementation of proper password storage mechanisms also supports compliance with security standards such as PCI DSS and NIST guidelines for secure authentication practices.