CVE-2008-2757 in Absolute News Manager XE
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in search.asp in Xigla Absolute News Manager XE 3.2 allows remote authenticated administrators to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the orderby parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/16/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-2757 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the Xigla Absolute News Manager XE 3.2 web application. This vulnerability specifically affects the search.asp component where the orderby parameter is processed without proper input sanitization or validation. The flaw exists in the application's database interaction layer where user-supplied parameters are directly incorporated into SQL query construction without adequate protection mechanisms. As a result, authenticated administrators can exploit this weakness to inject malicious SQL commands that will be executed by the underlying database engine.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-89, which categorizes SQL injection as a common weakness in web applications where untrusted data is embedded into SQL queries. The attack vector requires authentication, meaning that only users with administrative privileges can leverage this vulnerability, but the impact remains severe due to the privileged access level. The orderby parameter serves as the primary injection point where malicious input can manipulate the SQL execution flow and potentially escalate privileges or extract sensitive data from the database. This vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation practices and highlights the absence of proper parameterized queries or stored procedures in the application's database access implementation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data extraction as it provides attackers with the capability to execute arbitrary SQL commands with the privileges of the database user account. This could enable attackers to modify or delete database records, access confidential information, or even gain further system access depending on the database user permissions. The authenticated nature of the exploit means that the attack requires legitimate administrative credentials, but this does not diminish the severity since administrators typically possess elevated privileges and access to sensitive data. The vulnerability could be exploited to bypass authentication mechanisms, manipulate content management features, or cause denial of service conditions through database corruption or resource exhaustion.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries throughout the application's database interaction components. The recommended approach involves replacing direct string concatenation of user inputs with parameterized SQL queries that separate the SQL command structure from the data being processed. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and input sanitization mechanisms for all parameters, particularly those used in database operations, would prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious SQL injection patterns. Regular security assessments and code reviews focusing on database interaction patterns would help identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other application components, aligning with the defensive measures recommended by the ATT&CK framework for preventing command injection attacks. The vulnerability underscores the importance of following secure coding practices and maintaining up-to-date security protocols to protect against persistent threats in web applications.