CVE-2008-5166 in Riddles Website
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in riddle.php in Riddles Website 1.2.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the riddleid parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/30/2024
The CVE-2008-5166 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw discovered in the riddle.php script of Riddles Website version 1.2.1. This vulnerability resides within the web application's input validation mechanisms, specifically in how the application processes the riddleid parameter. The flaw allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary SQL commands into the database query execution flow, potentially compromising the entire database infrastructure. The vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input, creating an avenue for attackers to manipulate the underlying database queries through crafted malicious input.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker submits a specially crafted riddleid parameter value that contains SQL payload code. The application fails to properly escape or validate this input before incorporating it into database queries, enabling the attacker to execute unauthorized database operations. This type of vulnerability directly maps to CWE-89, which classifies SQL injection as a weakness that allows attackers to manipulate database queries through untrusted input. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it enables remote code execution and data manipulation without requiring authentication or privileged access to the system.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-5166 extends beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with comprehensive database access capabilities. Successful exploitation could lead to complete database compromise, including unauthorized data reading, modification, or deletion. Attackers might also leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges within the database environment, potentially gaining access to sensitive information such as user credentials, personal data, or system configuration details. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the web application's data resources, making it a significant threat to the overall security posture of the affected system.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation, parameterized queries, and proper output encoding to prevent SQL injection attacks. The remediation approach should focus on implementing proper input sanitization techniques, such as using prepared statements with parameterized queries to ensure that user input cannot be interpreted as SQL commands. Additionally, the application should be updated to a patched version of Riddles Website that addresses this vulnerability. Security monitoring and intrusion detection systems should be configured to detect suspicious database query patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004, which covers application layer protocol manipulation, and emphasizes the importance of proper input validation as a defensive measure against database-based attacks.