CVE-2008-4806 in Lotus Connections
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in IBM Lotus Connections 2.x before 2.0.1 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the sortField parameter to unspecified components. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained solely from third party information.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/04/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-4806 represents a critical SQL injection flaw affecting IBM Lotus Connections 2.x versions prior to 2.0.1. This vulnerability resides within the application's handling of user input parameters, specifically the sortField parameter that is processed by unspecified components within the Lotus Connections platform. The issue stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly escape or filter user-supplied data before incorporating it into SQL query constructs. This allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary SQL commands through carefully crafted input that manipulates the database query execution flow.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-89, which categorizes SQL injection as a persistent weakness in software applications where user input is directly concatenated into SQL commands without proper sanitization. The flaw operates at the application layer where the Lotus Connections platform processes user requests containing the sortField parameter, making it susceptible to exploitation by remote attackers who can craft malicious input to bypass normal authentication and authorization mechanisms. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data retrieval as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary database commands, potentially leading to complete database compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive information stored within the Lotus Connections environment.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations utilizing IBM Lotus Connections 2.x systems, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform unauthorized database operations including data extraction, modification, or deletion. The remote exploitability means that attackers do not require physical access to the system or local network privileges to leverage this vulnerability. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that Lotus Connections serves as a collaboration platform that typically handles sensitive corporate data, user credentials, and business information. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution risk under ATT&CK framework category T1071.005 (Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols) indicates that successful exploitation could lead to further lateral movement within the network infrastructure.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patch for IBM Lotus Connections 2.0.1 or higher, implementing proper input validation at all application entry points, and deploying web application firewalls to filter suspicious SQL injection patterns. The remediation process should also involve thorough code reviews to identify similar input handling issues across other components, as well as implementing database access controls that limit the privileges of application accounts to prevent unauthorized data manipulation. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous database query patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, and network segmentation should be considered to limit the potential impact of successful attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing comprehensive input validation strategies to prevent exploitation of common injection vulnerabilities.