CVE-2008-3035 in XchangeBoard
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in newThread.php in XchangeBoard 1.70 Final and earlier allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the boardID parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/31/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-3035 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the XchangeBoard 1.70 Final and earlier versions, specifically affecting the newThread.php script. This vulnerability resides in the handling of the boardID parameter, which serves as an entry point for malicious SQL commands. The flaw allows authenticated users to manipulate database queries through crafted input, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection weaknesses in software applications. The impact extends beyond simple data theft as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges and gain deeper system access through database manipulation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the application's database interaction layer. When the boardID parameter is processed in newThread.php, the application fails to properly escape or parameterize user-supplied input before incorporating it into SQL queries. This creates an environment where malicious actors can inject SQL commands that bypass normal security controls. The authenticated nature of the vulnerability means that attackers must first establish legitimate credentials, but this requirement does not prevent significant damage since authenticated users typically possess sufficient privileges to cause harm. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and directly impacts database integrity, making it particularly dangerous for systems handling sensitive user information or transactional data.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents substantial risks to organizations using affected XchangeBoard versions. The remote execution capability allows attackers to perform unauthorized database operations from any location, potentially compromising entire database schemas. Attackers could extract sensitive information including user credentials, personal data, or business-critical information stored within the application's database. The impact on system availability is also significant as malicious SQL commands could potentially cause database corruption or denial of service conditions. This vulnerability directly maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1071.005 for application layer protocol use and T1566.001 for credential access through social engineering, though the specific technique here involves direct database manipulation rather than social engineering. Organizations may experience regulatory compliance violations and reputational damage if data breaches occur as a result of this vulnerability.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-3035 require immediate action to address the root cause through proper input validation and parameterized query implementation. The most effective approach involves implementing prepared statements or parameterized queries throughout the application's database interaction code, ensuring that user input is never directly concatenated into SQL commands. Organizations should also implement proper input sanitization routines that filter out potentially malicious characters and patterns before processing user data. Additionally, access controls should be reviewed to ensure that database connections use minimal required privileges, preventing attackers from escalating privileges even if successful injection occurs. The vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security updates and patch management, as this issue was resolved in later versions of XchangeBoard. System administrators should also implement database activity monitoring to detect anomalous SQL query patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while maintaining comprehensive audit logs to support forensic analysis in case of successful attacks.