CVE-2008-2972 in Php Knowledgebase Script
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in index.php in KbLance allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the cat_id parameter in a comment action.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/29/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-2972 represents a critical sql injection flaw within the KbLance platform's index.php script. This vulnerability specifically affects the comment action functionality where the cat_id parameter is processed without adequate input validation or sanitization. The flaw resides in the application's handling of user-supplied data, creating an attack vector that allows remote adversaries to inject malicious sql code directly into the database query execution flow. This type of vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration CWE-89 which specifically addresses sql injection vulnerabilities where untrusted data is incorporated into sql commands without proper escaping or parameterization. The vulnerability impacts the integrity and confidentiality of the underlying database system, as attackers can manipulate the sql queries to extract sensitive information, modify data, or potentially gain unauthorized access to the database infrastructure.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious payload containing sql injection sequences and passes this data through the cat_id parameter during comment operations. The application fails to properly validate or sanitize the input before incorporating it into the sql query structure, allowing the injected sql commands to execute with the privileges of the database user account associated with the KbLance application. This type of attack can be categorized under the attack technique T1071.004 from the ATT&CK framework which focuses on application layer protocol manipulation. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic example of insufficient input sanitization where user-controllable parameters are directly concatenated into sql queries without proper parameter binding or escape sequence handling.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it can enable complete database compromise and potential system escalation. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform unauthorized data manipulation, including deleting records, modifying user credentials, or extracting sensitive information such as user accounts, personal data, or system configurations. The vulnerability affects the availability, integrity, and confidentiality of the KbLance platform's data assets, potentially leading to service disruption, data loss, or unauthorized access to user information. Organizations relying on this platform face significant risk of data breaches and regulatory compliance violations, particularly if the system contains personally identifiable information or sensitive business data. The vulnerability also demonstrates poor secure coding practices that violate fundamental security principles such as input validation, parameterized queries, and principle of least privilege in database access controls.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term secure coding improvements. The primary fix involves implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries for all user-supplied data, particularly the cat_id parameter in this case. Developers should utilize prepared statements or parameterized queries that separate sql command structure from data content, preventing the injection of malicious sql code. Additionally, input sanitization measures including character filtering, length restrictions, and type validation should be implemented to ensure only expected data formats are processed. The application should also implement proper error handling that does not expose database structure information to end users. Organizations should conduct comprehensive code reviews focusing on sql query construction, implement automated security testing tools, and establish secure coding guidelines that align with industry standards such as owasp top ten and iso 27001 security requirements. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the application stack.