CVE-2008-4171 in IP.Board
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in xmlout.php in Invision Power Board (IP.Board or IPB) 2.2.x and 2.3.x allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the name parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/04/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-4171 represents a critical sql injection flaw discovered in the xmlout.php script of Invision Power Board versions 2.2.x and 2.3.x. This vulnerability resides within the web application's input validation mechanisms and specifically targets the name parameter which is processed without adequate sanitization. The flaw allows remote attackers to inject malicious sql commands directly into the application's database layer through crafted input, potentially compromising the entire database infrastructure. This type of vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration category CWE-89, which specifically addresses sql injection vulnerabilities where untrusted data is incorporated into sql commands without proper validation or escaping mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker submits malicious input through the name parameter in the xmlout.php script. The application fails to properly sanitize or escape user-supplied data before incorporating it into sql queries, creating an environment where attacker-controlled sql code can be executed with the privileges of the web application's database user. This allows for unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it affects widely deployed versions of IP.Board, making numerous web applications susceptible to this attack vector. According to the attack technique framework, this vulnerability aligns with T1190 - exploitation for execution, where attackers leverage input validation flaws to execute malicious code within the target system's database context.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-4171 extends beyond simple data theft, as it can enable attackers to gain persistent access to the underlying database infrastructure. Successful exploitation could result in complete data breaches, unauthorized user account creation, modification of critical application functionality, or even the installation of backdoors for continued access. The vulnerability affects not only the confidentiality of stored data but also the integrity and availability of the entire web application platform. Organizations running affected IP.Board versions face significant risk of unauthorized access to user credentials, personal information, and application configuration data. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and parameterized queries in preventing sql injection attacks, as highlighted in industry best practices for secure coding standards and defensive programming techniques.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected IP.Board installations to version 2.4.0 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. Organizations should also implement input validation measures including parameterized queries, proper escaping of special characters, and comprehensive input sanitization routines. Network-based mitigations such as web application firewalls can provide additional protection layers, though they should not replace proper code-level fixes. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual database access patterns and attempts to exploit sql injection vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar flaws in other web applications, as this vulnerability type remains prevalent in legacy systems. The remediation process should also include thorough testing to ensure that security patches do not introduce regressions in application functionality while maintaining the integrity of user data and system operations.