CVE-2008-4487 in Atarone
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in ap-save.php in Atarone CMS 1.2.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the (1) site_name, (2) email, (3) theme_chosen, (4) hp, (5) c_meta, (6) id, and (7) c_js parameters. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained solely from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/10/2018
The CVE-2008-4487 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the Atarone CMS 1.2.0 content management system that exposes multiple input parameters to remote code execution attacks. This vulnerability specifically affects the ap-save.php script which handles various configuration parameters including site_name, email, theme_chosen, hp, c_meta, id, and c_js. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly escape or filter user-supplied data before incorporating it into SQL query constructions. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious payloads in any of the seven affected parameters, allowing them to inject arbitrary SQL commands that execute with the privileges of the database user account. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe as it enables attackers to perform unauthorized database operations including data extraction, modification, deletion, and potentially full system compromise through database-level attacks.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection weaknesses in software applications. This classification indicates that the flaw occurs when an application directly incorporates user input into SQL command strings without proper sanitization or parameterization. The attack vector operates through remote exploitation, meaning malicious actors can leverage this vulnerability from outside the network boundary without requiring local system access. The seven vulnerable parameters represent different aspects of the CMS configuration, suggesting that the application's input handling is fundamentally flawed across multiple functional areas. Each parameter represents a potential entry point for attackers to manipulate the underlying database operations, with the hp parameter likely corresponding to home page content and c_js to javascript configurations, indicating the breadth of system components that can be targeted.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft to encompass complete system compromise and unauthorized administrative access. Successful exploitation allows attackers to manipulate the CMS configuration, potentially creating backdoors, modifying user credentials, or extracting sensitive information from the database. The vulnerability's presence in a content management system means that attackers could modify website content, inject malicious scripts, or establish persistent access points for future exploitation. Database-level attacks could result in data corruption, unauthorized access to user accounts, and potential escalation to broader network compromise. The lack of detailed provenance information regarding the vulnerability's discovery and reporting timeline suggests this flaw may have remained unpatched for an extended period, increasing the risk of widespread exploitation across vulnerable installations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-4487 require immediate implementation of input validation and parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection attacks. Organizations should implement proper input sanitization for all user-supplied data, particularly focusing on the seven vulnerable parameters identified in the ap-save.php script. The recommended approach involves adopting prepared statements or parameterized queries that separate SQL command structure from data values, ensuring that user input cannot alter the intended execution flow of database operations. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and database privilege management can limit the potential damage from successful exploitation attempts. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar flaws in other application components, while maintaining up-to-date security patches for all CMS installations. The vulnerability's age and the specific nature of the flaw suggest that organizations should consider migrating to more modern CMS platforms with robust security frameworks and active maintenance cycles to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future.