CVE-2008-3445 in phpMyRealty
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in index.php in phpMyRealty (PMR) 2.0.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the location parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/02/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-3445 represents a critical sql injection flaw within the phpMyRealty 2.0.0 web application that enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary sql commands through the location parameter in the index.php file. This vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration category of CWE-89 sql injection, which is classified as a serious security weakness that allows attackers to manipulate database queries by injecting malicious sql code into input fields. The specific exposure occurs when user input from the location parameter is directly incorporated into sql queries without proper sanitization or parameterization, creating a direct pathway for malicious sql commands to be executed on the underlying database server. This vulnerability is particularly concerning as it affects the core functionality of the phpMyRealty application, which is designed for real estate listings and property management, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise real estate databases and potentially access sensitive property information.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires minimal prerequisites as attackers only need to send specially crafted requests to the vulnerable index.php endpoint with malicious sql payloads in the location parameter. The flaw occurs due to insufficient input validation and sanitization practices within the application code, where user-supplied data is directly concatenated into sql query strings rather than being properly escaped or parameterized. This primitive form of sql injection allows attackers to manipulate the intended sql query execution flow and can result in unauthorized data access, data modification, or even complete database compromise. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data retrieval as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges, extract sensitive information, modify database records, or potentially gain access to the underlying database server through advanced sql injection techniques such as blind sql injection or union-based attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-3445 poses significant risks to organizations utilizing phpMyRealty 2.0.0 for property management and real estate listings. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to access confidential property listings, customer information, contact details, and potentially financial data stored within the database. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the entire real estate management system, as unauthorized users can manipulate the database contents and potentially disrupt the normal operation of the application. Organizations may face regulatory compliance issues, data breaches, and reputational damage if this vulnerability is exploited, particularly given the sensitive nature of real estate information and personal data typically stored in such systems. The attack surface is further expanded as this vulnerability can be leveraged as a stepping stone for further attacks within the network infrastructure, aligning with the attack technique T1213 data from information repositories in the mitre att&ck framework, which emphasizes the exploitation of database vulnerabilities for information extraction.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-3445 should prioritize immediate patching and code review processes to address the root cause of the vulnerability. Organizations must implement proper input validation and sanitization measures, including parameterized queries or prepared statements to prevent sql injection attacks, which directly addresses the CWE-89 weakness through defensive programming practices. The recommended remediation includes updating to a patched version of phpMyRealty or implementing proper sql query parameterization techniques that separate sql code from user input data. Additionally, organizations should deploy web application firewalls and input filtering mechanisms to detect and block malicious sql injection attempts, while also implementing proper access controls and database user privilege management to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation. Security monitoring and logging should be enhanced to detect unusual database access patterns that may indicate sql injection attempts, and regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other web applications within the organization's infrastructure, following the principle of least privilege and defense in depth security approaches that align with industry best practices and compliance requirements.