CVE-2008-4613 in PortalApp
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in forums.asp in PortalApp 4.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the sortby parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/13/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-4613 represents a critical sql injection flaw within the PortalApp 4.0 web application, specifically affecting the forums.asp component. This issue resides in the application's handling of user-supplied input through the sortby parameter, which is processed without adequate sanitization or validation mechanisms. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to inject malicious sql commands directly into the application's database layer, potentially compromising the entire backend infrastructure. The affected parameter demonstrates a classic input validation failure where user-provided data flows directly into sql query construction without proper escaping or parameterization techniques.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a well-established pattern that aligns with CWE-89 sql injection weakness category, where untrusted data is incorporated into sql commands without proper isolation. Attackers can manipulate the sortby parameter to append malicious sql statements that the application executes with the privileges of the database user account. This allows for unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion operations, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require physical access to the system and can exploit it from any location with network connectivity to the affected web application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with the capability to escalate privileges within the database environment. Successful exploitation could result in unauthorized access to sensitive user information, modification of forum content, data corruption, or even complete database compromise. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the portal application, creating potential cascading effects throughout the organization's digital infrastructure. Organizations relying on PortalApp 4.0 may face significant regulatory compliance issues if user data is compromised, particularly in environments governed by standards such as pci dss or gdpr.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should encompass immediate patching of the affected PortalApp 4.0 version, implementation of proper input validation and parameterized queries, and deployment of web application firewalls to monitor and filter malicious traffic. The remediation process must follow established security protocols including thorough testing of patches to ensure they do not introduce regressions in application functionality. Organizations should also implement comprehensive logging and monitoring of sql query execution to detect potential exploitation attempts. From an att&ck framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving command and control communications and credential access, requiring defensive measures such as network segmentation and privileged access management to limit potential lateral movement. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of secure coding practices and regular security assessments to prevent similar issues in future application development cycles.