CVE-2008-4523 in IP Reg
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in login.php in IP Reg 0.4 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the user_name parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/06/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-4523 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the IP Reg 0.4 software suite, specifically affecting the login.php component. This vulnerability resides in the authentication mechanism where the application fails to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into SQL query constructions. The affected parameter user_name serves as the primary attack vector, allowing malicious actors to inject specially crafted SQL commands that bypass authentication controls and potentially gain unauthorized access to the underlying database system. The vulnerability impacts all versions of IP Reg 0.4 and earlier, indicating a long-standing security flaw that was never properly addressed within the software lifecycle.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and improper parameter handling within the login.php script. When a user attempts to authenticate, the application directly incorporates the user_name parameter into SQL queries without adequate sanitization or parameterization. This design flaw aligns with CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection vulnerabilities where untrusted data is concatenated into SQL commands. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious input that terminates the existing SQL statement and appends their own commands, potentially executing administrative operations or extracting sensitive data from the database. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires no special privileges to exploit, making it particularly dangerous for remote attackers who can leverage it from outside the network perimeter.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-4523 extends beyond simple authentication bypass, as successful exploitation can lead to complete database compromise and potential system infiltration. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can execute arbitrary SQL commands with the privileges of the database user account, potentially gaining access to sensitive user credentials, personal information, or even administrative control over the entire database. This represents a significant threat to data confidentiality and integrity, particularly in environments where IP Reg systems store sensitive network configuration data or user authentication information. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190, which describes the use of SQL injection to gain access to databases, and T1078, covering legitimate credentials use for persistence and privilege escalation. Organizations using affected versions face potential regulatory compliance violations and data breach exposure, especially in industries governed by standards such as pci dss or hipaa.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-4523 must address both immediate remediation and long-term security improvements. The most effective immediate solution involves upgrading to a patched version of IP Reg, as the vulnerability has been resolved in subsequent releases through proper input validation and parameterized query implementation. Organizations should implement proper input sanitization techniques including prepared statements or parameterized queries to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in other applications. Additionally, network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to limit access to authentication endpoints, while comprehensive logging and monitoring should be deployed to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to industry standards such as owasp top ten and iso 27001 for preventing injection vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify and remediate similar flaws in legacy applications, particularly those that have not received security updates for extended periods.