CVE-2008-5874 in Hotel Booking Reservation System
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in the Hotel Booking Reservation System (aka HBS) for Joomla! allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the id parameter in a showhoteldetails action to index.php in the (1) com_allhotels or (2) com_5starhotels module. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/21/2024
The CVE-2008-5874 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the Hotel Booking Reservation System component for Joomla! platforms, specifically affecting the com_allhotels and com_5starhotels modules. This vulnerability resides in the web application's handling of user-supplied input parameters, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate database queries through the id parameter in the showhoteldetails action. The flaw demonstrates a classic lack of proper input validation and sanitization, allowing attackers to inject malicious SQL code that bypasses normal authentication and authorization mechanisms. The vulnerability affects the core database interaction logic where user input directly influences query construction without adequate filtering or parameterization.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker submits a malicious id parameter value to the index.php script within the affected Joomla! modules. The application fails to properly escape or validate the input before incorporating it into SQL queries, enabling attackers to craft SQL commands that manipulate the database structure or extract sensitive information. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-89, which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws where untrusted data is used in SQL commands without proper sanitization. The attack vector leverages the common pattern of parameter-based input handling where the id parameter is directly embedded into database queries without appropriate security measures such as prepared statements or input sanitization routines.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it allows for complete database compromise and potential system takeover. Attackers can execute arbitrary SQL commands including SELECT statements to extract confidential information such as user credentials, customer data, and system configuration details. The vulnerability also permits data modification and deletion operations, potentially leading to complete system corruption or unauthorized access to administrative functions. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1071.005 for application layer protocol usage and T1190 for exploitation of remote services, representing a significant threat to web application security. The impact is particularly severe in web hosting environments where multiple applications share database resources, potentially enabling lateral movement and broader system compromise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-5874 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected Joomla! component to address the root cause of the input validation failure. Organizations should implement proper input sanitization measures including parameterized queries, prepared statements, and comprehensive input validation routines that reject or escape malicious characters before database processing. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to detect and block exploitation attempts. Security monitoring should include regular vulnerability scanning and database query analysis to identify anomalous patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The remediation process should also involve comprehensive code review of all database interaction points to ensure similar vulnerabilities do not exist in other application components, following security best practices outlined in OWASP Top 10 and similar industry standards for web application security.