CVE-2008-2676 in Com News Portal
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in the iJoomla News Portal (com_news_portal) component 1.0 and earlier for Joomla! allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the Itemid parameter to index.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-2676 represents a critical sql injection flaw within the iJoomla News Portal component version 1.0 and earlier for the Joomla! content management system. This vulnerability resides in the component's handling of user input through the Itemid parameter in the index.php script, creating a pathway for remote attackers to manipulate the underlying database operations. The issue stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly escape or filter malicious sql code submitted through the web interface.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious payload containing sql commands and injects them through the Itemid parameter. The vulnerable component processes this unfiltered input directly within sql queries without proper parameterization or input sanitization, allowing the attacker to manipulate the database structure or extract sensitive information. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-89 category of sql injection, which is classified as a critical weakness in software security. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it operates over the network without requiring any authentication, making it accessible to any remote user who can interact with the vulnerable web application.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-2676 extends beyond simple data theft to encompass complete database compromise and potential system takeover. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary sql commands, potentially gaining unauthorized access to administrative accounts, modifying or deleting database records, and extracting confidential information such as user credentials, personal data, and system configurations. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework as a command and control activity demonstrates its potential for establishing persistent access and exfiltrating data. Organizations running vulnerable versions of the iJoomla News Portal component face significant risk of data breaches, service disruption, and potential regulatory violations due to the exposure of sensitive information.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate action including updating to the patched version of the iJoomla News Portal component or implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries within the application code. Security measures should include web application firewalls that can detect and block sql injection attempts, regular security audits of third-party components, and comprehensive input sanitization routines. The vulnerability highlights the importance of keeping content management systems and their extensions updated, as well as implementing proper security coding practices that prevent sql injection through proper parameterization of database queries. Organizations should also consider implementing database activity monitoring to detect suspicious sql operations and establish incident response procedures to address potential exploitation attempts.