CVE-2008-2901 in Family Connections CMS
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in Haudenschilt Family Connections CMS (FCMS) 1.4 allow remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the (1) address parameter to addressbook.php, the (2) getnews parameter to familynews.php, and the (3) poll_id parameter to home.php in a results action.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/28/2024
The CVE-2008-2901 vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in Haudenschilt Family Connections CMS version 1.4, exposing multiple SQL injection attack vectors that enable authenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary database commands. This vulnerability specifically affects three distinct parameters within the CMS framework, creating multiple entry points for malicious exploitation. The attack surface encompasses the addressbook.php script with the address parameter, familynews.php with the getnews parameter, and home.php with the poll_id parameter during results actions, all of which fail to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into database queries.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and sanitization within the CMS's database interaction layers. When authenticated users submit data through these parameters, the application directly incorporates the input into SQL query strings without adequate escaping or parameterization. This design flaw allows attackers to inject malicious SQL code that gets executed by the underlying database engine, potentially enabling complete database compromise. The vulnerability is classified as a classic SQL injection issue, which maps to CWE-89 in the Common Weakness Enumeration system, specifically representing an insufficient input sanitization problem in database query construction.
From an operational perspective, the impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or modification. An authenticated attacker with access to the CMS can leverage these injection points to escalate privileges, extract sensitive user information including passwords stored in the database, modify family records, or even gain access to administrative functions. The fact that these vulnerabilities are accessible through authenticated sessions means that attackers who can obtain legitimate user credentials or exploit other authentication bypasses can execute these attacks with minimal additional effort. The attack vector operates entirely through standard web protocols, making it easily exploitable through automated tools and requiring no specialized equipment or knowledge beyond basic web application penetration testing techniques.
The exploitation of these vulnerabilities aligns with several tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly focusing on credential access and privilege escalation techniques. Attackers can utilize these SQL injection points to extract database credentials, modify user accounts, or create new administrative accounts within the family connections system. The vulnerability also supports data manipulation and data exposure tactics, as attackers can both read sensitive information and modify database content to compromise the integrity of family records. Organizations using this CMS version should immediately implement mitigations including input validation, parameterized queries, and proper output encoding to prevent these injection attacks from succeeding.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-2901 require immediate attention through multiple defensive layers. The most critical remediation involves implementing proper input validation and sanitization across all user-supplied parameters, ensuring that all data entering the database query construction process undergoes rigorous filtering and escaping. Database administrators should enforce strict input validation at both application and database levels, utilizing parameterized queries or prepared statements to eliminate the possibility of SQL injection. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and session management can limit the impact of successful exploitation attempts, while regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other parts of the application. Organizations should also consider upgrading to supported versions of the CMS that address these security flaws, as version 1.4 is no longer maintained and likely contains additional undiscovered vulnerabilities.