CVE-2008-3952 in EsFaq
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in questions.php in EsFaq 2.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the idcat parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/03/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-3952 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the EsFaq 2.0 web application, specifically affecting the questions.php script. This vulnerability resides in the handling of user input through the idcat parameter, which is processed without proper sanitization or validation mechanisms. The flaw allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary SQL commands into the application's database queries, potentially compromising the entire backend infrastructure. The vulnerability affects the application's ability to distinguish between legitimate user input and maliciously crafted SQL code, creating an avenue for unauthorized data access and manipulation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation practices within the EsFaq 2.0 application. When the idcat parameter is passed to questions.php, the application directly incorporates this value into SQL query construction without employing parameterized queries or adequate input sanitization. This primitive approach to handling user-supplied data creates a direct pathway for attackers to manipulate the underlying database operations. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection weaknesses where untrusted data is embedded into SQL commands without proper escaping or parameterization. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious input that alters the intended query structure, potentially executing commands such as UNION SELECT statements, DROP TABLE operations, or other database manipulation commands.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, encompassing complete system compromise and potential data destruction. Remote attackers can leverage this flaw to extract sensitive information from the database, including user credentials, personal data, and application configuration details. The vulnerability also enables attackers to modify or delete database records, potentially causing service disruption or data corruption. In enterprise environments, this could lead to unauthorized access to proprietary information, compliance violations, and significant financial losses. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that the vulnerability operates remotely without requiring authentication, making it accessible to any internet-connected attacker. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1071.005 for Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols and T1190 for Exploit Public-Facing Application, highlighting the threat actor's ability to exploit publicly accessible web services.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-3952 must address both immediate remediation and long-term security architecture improvements. The primary solution involves implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries throughout the application codebase, ensuring that all user-supplied parameters are properly escaped or parameterized before database interaction. Organizations should also implement web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious SQL injection patterns, while establishing comprehensive input sanitization routines that filter out potentially malicious characters. Regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities across the application stack, with particular attention to legacy code that may contain similar injection flaws. Additionally, implementing database access controls and privilege separation can limit the potential damage from successful exploitation attempts, ensuring that even if an attacker gains access, they cannot perform destructive operations. The remediation process should include thorough testing to verify that the fix does not introduce new functionality issues while maintaining the application's core operational capabilities.