CVE-2008-4142 in E-Php CMS
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in article.php in E-Php CMS allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the es_id parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/04/2024
The CVE-2008-4142 vulnerability represents a critical sql injection flaw within the E-Php CMS content management system that fundamentally compromises the security posture of affected installations. This vulnerability specifically targets the article.php script which serves as a core component for displaying articles within the cms framework. The flaw manifests through improper input validation of the es_id parameter, which is utilized to fetch specific article records from the underlying database. When an attacker submits malicious input through this parameter, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape the data before incorporating it into sql query structures, creating an exploitable condition that allows for arbitrary sql command execution.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with common sql injection patterns categorized under cwe-89, which describes improper neutralization of special elements used in sql commands. The es_id parameter acts as the primary attack vector where user-supplied data directly influences the sql query construction process without adequate sanitization measures. This flaw enables attackers to manipulate the intended database query execution path and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, modify database records, or even execute administrative commands on the underlying database system. The vulnerability operates at the application layer where input validation mechanisms fail to properly filter or escape special sql characters and control sequences that could alter the intended query logic.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-4142 extends beyond simple data theft to encompass complete system compromise potential within affected e-php cms installations. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to extract confidential information including user credentials, personal data, and administrative access details stored within the database. The remote execution capability means that attackers do not require physical access to the server or local network presence to exploit this flaw, making it particularly dangerous for web-facing applications. Depending on the database permissions and configuration, successful exploitation could lead to complete database takeover, data corruption, or even server compromise through database-backed command execution features.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar flaws in future development cycles. The primary fix involves implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries throughout the application codebase, specifically ensuring that all user-supplied data passed to database operations undergoes rigorous sanitization before query construction. Organizations should implement input filtering mechanisms that reject or escape special sql characters including single quotes, semicolons, and comment delimiters that are commonly used in sql injection attacks. Additionally, database access should be restricted to minimum required privileges for the application, preventing potential escalation of privileges through sql injection exploitation. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to established security frameworks such as those outlined in the owasp top ten project and the mitre attack framework, where sql injection consistently ranks among the most prevalent and dangerous web application security weaknesses. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be implemented to identify similar input validation gaps that could create analogous attack surfaces within the application architecture.