CVE-2008-6160 in Semantically Interconnected Online Communities
Summary
by MITRE
Semantically-Interconnected Online Communities (SIOC) 5.x before 5.x-1.2 and 6.x before 6.x-1.1, a module for Drupal, does not properly implement menu and database APIs, which allows remote attackers to obtain usernames and read hashed emails and comments via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/28/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-6160 affects the Semantically-Interconnected Online Communities SIOC module for Drupal, specifically versions 5.x before 5.x-1.2 and 6.x before 6.x-1.1. This security flaw represents a critical weakness in the module's implementation of core Drupal APIs, creating opportunities for unauthorized information disclosure that could significantly compromise user privacy and system integrity. The SIOC module is designed to facilitate semantic web integration by creating RDF representations of Drupal content, but its flawed API implementation creates exploitable gaps in access controls. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation and sanitization within the menu system and database interaction components, allowing malicious actors to bypass normal access restrictions through unspecified attack vectors that leverage the module's improper API handling.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through the module's failure to properly enforce access controls when processing menu requests and database queries. When the SIOC module handles user requests through the Drupal menu system, it does not adequately validate input parameters or verify user permissions before executing database operations. This weakness enables attackers to craft malicious requests that can extract sensitive information from the database, specifically targeting username records, hashed email addresses, and comment data. The flaw operates at the intersection of API misimplementation and information disclosure, where the module's database abstraction layer fails to properly filter or sanitize queries that could reveal user credentials or personal information. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-200 Information Exposure and CWE-284 Improper Access Control, as it allows unauthorized access to protected data through flawed permission enforcement mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks within the compromised Drupal environment. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can obtain hashed email addresses and usernames, which can serve as valuable intelligence for social engineering campaigns or password spraying attacks against user accounts. The exposure of comment data further compounds the risk by potentially revealing sensitive discussions or personal information shared within community platforms. This vulnerability affects Drupal installations using the SIOC module, particularly those that rely on semantic web features for content representation and community integration. The attack vectors likely involve crafting specially formatted menu requests that bypass normal access controls, potentially leveraging the module's RDF generation capabilities to extract structured data from the database without proper authentication. Organizations running affected Drupal versions face significant risk of credential exposure and potential account compromise, especially in community-driven platforms where user-generated content and personal information are prevalent.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of the SIOC module to versions 5.x-1.2 and 6.x-1.1, which contain the necessary fixes for the API implementation flaws. System administrators should also implement network-level monitoring to detect unusual patterns in menu system requests that might indicate exploitation attempts. Access control measures should be strengthened through proper user permission management and regular audit of module configurations. Organizations should consider disabling the SIOC module if it is not actively required for their semantic web integration needs, as this reduces the attack surface. Additionally, implementing database query logging and monitoring can help detect unauthorized access attempts to sensitive user data. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper API implementation and access control enforcement in web applications, particularly in content management systems where modules interact with core database functions. This case highlights the critical need for security reviews of third-party modules and adherence to security best practices in API design and implementation. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1213 Data from Information Repositories and T1078 Valid Accounts, as it enables attackers to obtain credentials and personal information from system repositories through improper access control mechanisms.