CVE-2008-5491 in SlimCMS
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in edit.php in SlimCMS 1.0.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the pageID parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/11/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-5491 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the SlimCMS content management system version 1.0.0 and earlier. This vulnerability resides in the edit.php script which processes user input without proper sanitization or validation, creating an exploitable condition that enables remote attackers to manipulate database queries through the pageID parameter. The flaw demonstrates a classic lack of input validation that has been documented in numerous security frameworks and standards, including CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection vulnerabilities. The vulnerability exists due to improper handling of user-supplied data within the application's database interaction layer, where direct concatenation of user input into SQL statements occurs without appropriate escaping or parameterization mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability allows attackers to inject malicious SQL commands through the pageID parameter, which is typically used to identify and retrieve specific content pages for editing. When an attacker submits a crafted pageID value containing SQL payload, the application processes this input directly within the database query without proper sanitization, potentially enabling unauthorized database access, data extraction, modification, or deletion. This type of vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK technique T1071.005 for application layer protocol manipulation and T1213.002 for data from information repositories, as it allows attackers to manipulate stored data and potentially escalate privileges within the application's data layer. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the database interaction level, where successful exploitation can lead to complete compromise of the underlying data store.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it can enable attackers to gain persistent access to the CMS database and potentially escalate privileges to administrative levels. Remote attackers can exploit this vulnerability from any location without requiring local system access, making it highly dangerous in production environments. The vulnerability affects all versions of SlimCMS up to and including version 1.0.0, indicating a long-standing issue that was not properly addressed in the application's security design. Organizations using affected versions face significant risk of data breaches, content manipulation, and potential service disruption. The vulnerability also poses a threat to the integrity of the entire CMS ecosystem, as successful exploitation could allow attackers to modify user credentials, content, or even install backdoors within the application infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-5491 should focus on immediate remediation through input validation and parameterized queries. The primary fix involves implementing proper input sanitization for all user-supplied parameters, particularly the pageID parameter used in the edit.php script. This includes using prepared statements or parameterized queries to ensure that user input cannot be interpreted as SQL commands. Organizations should also implement proper access controls and authentication mechanisms to limit the impact of potential exploitation. Additionally, regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices as outlined in OWASP Top Ten and ISO/IEC 27001 security standards, particularly regarding input validation and database security controls. System administrators should also implement network segmentation and monitoring to detect suspicious database access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include updating to the latest stable version of SlimCMS where this vulnerability has been addressed, or implementing proper code-level fixes if upgrading is not immediately possible.