CVE-2008-2765 in Absolute Image Gallery XE
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in gallery.asp in Xigla Absolute Image Gallery XE allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the categoryid parameter in a viewimage action.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/14/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-2765 represents a critical sql injection flaw within the Xigla Absolute Image Gallery XE web application. This security weakness resides in the gallery.asp script where the categoryid parameter is improperly handled during the viewimage action. The flaw allows remote attackers to inject malicious sql code through the categoryid input field, potentially enabling full database compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive information. This vulnerability directly impacts the application's input validation mechanisms and demonstrates poor sanitization of user-supplied data. The affected component operates within the context of a web-based image gallery system, making it accessible to any remote user who can craft malicious requests to the vulnerable endpoint. The exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and unauthorized modification of the gallery's content and configuration. According to the common weakness enumeration framework, this vulnerability maps to cwe-89 which specifically addresses sql injection flaws. The attack pattern aligns with the attack technique described in the attack technique framework as at-1080 which involves injecting malicious sql commands through web application interfaces. The operational impact extends beyond simple data theft as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access, modify gallery configurations, and potentially use the compromised system as a pivot point for further attacks within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that no local access or privileged credentials are required for successful exploitation, making it particularly dangerous in publicly accessible web environments.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic sql injection attack vector where user input flows directly into sql execution without proper sanitization or parameterization. The categoryid parameter in the viewimage action serves as the primary attack surface, as it is likely concatenated directly into sql query strings rather than being properly escaped or parameterized. This flaw violates fundamental security principles of input validation and output encoding, creating an environment where malicious sql payloads can be executed with the privileges of the web application's database user. The vulnerability exists due to inadequate application-level security controls and suggests that the development team failed to implement proper sql injection prevention measures such as prepared statements or proper input filtering. The absence of proper input validation allows attackers to manipulate the sql query structure, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, data modification, or even database schema enumeration. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited through standard web browser interactions, requiring minimal technical expertise to execute successful attacks against vulnerable systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-2765 must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring. The primary solution involves implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries to ensure that user-supplied data cannot alter the intended sql query structure. Developers should replace direct string concatenation with prepared statements or stored procedures that properly separate sql code from user input. Additionally, implementing proper output encoding and input sanitization techniques will help prevent malicious payloads from being executed. The application should also enforce proper access controls and authentication mechanisms to limit who can interact with the vulnerable endpoints. Security headers and web application firewalls should be deployed to detect and block suspicious sql injection attempts. Regular security testing including automated scanning and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in the application code. According to industry best practices and the defense in depth principle, multiple layers of security controls should be implemented to protect against sql injection attacks. Organizations should also establish proper security awareness training for developers to prevent the introduction of similar vulnerabilities during the software development lifecycle. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of following secure coding practices and conducting regular security assessments to maintain robust application security postures.