CVE-2008-4804 in Nukedgallery
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in the Gallery module 1.3 for PHP-Nuke allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the aid parameter in a showalbum action to index.php. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information. NOTE: this issue was disclosed by an unreliable researcher, so it might be incorrect.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/02/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-4804 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the Gallery module version 1.3 of PHP-Nuke content management system. This security weakness resides in the way the application processes user input through the aid parameter during the showalbum action executed via index.php. The vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection attacks where untrusted data is incorporated into SQL commands without proper sanitization or validation. The issue stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms that fail to properly escape or filter special characters that could alter the intended SQL query structure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data manipulation as it provides remote attackers with the capability to execute arbitrary SQL commands on the underlying database server. Attackers exploiting this flaw can potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive information, modify database records, create new user accounts with elevated privileges, or even execute system commands depending on the database configuration and permissions. The vulnerability affects systems running PHP-Nuke with the Gallery module version 1.3, making it particularly concerning for web applications that rely on this platform for content management and user interaction. This type of attack vector represents a classic example of how insecure input handling can lead to complete system compromise, as described in the ATT&CK framework under technique T1190 for exploit public-facing application.
The security implications of this vulnerability are particularly severe given that it operates entirely remotely without requiring any authentication or privileged access. The attack surface is broad as the aid parameter is likely accessible through normal user navigation paths, making it difficult to detect and prevent through simple network monitoring. Organizations running affected systems face significant risk of data breaches, regulatory compliance violations, and potential legal consequences. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution threat means that attackers could potentially escalate their privileges and gain complete control over the database server. This type of flaw demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and parameterized queries as recommended by industry standards including OWASP Top Ten and the CERT/CC secure coding guidelines.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-4804 should prioritize immediate patching of the Gallery module to version 1.4 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. System administrators should implement proper input validation at multiple layers including application-level filtering, database-level escaping, and web application firewalls to detect and block malicious SQL injection attempts. Additionally, the principle of least privilege should be enforced by ensuring database accounts used by PHP-Nuke have minimal required permissions and that the application does not run with administrative database privileges. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other modules or custom code. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining up-to-date software components and implementing comprehensive security testing procedures before deploying any web applications to production environments. Organizations should also consider implementing database activity monitoring to detect anomalous SQL query patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts.