CVE-2008-6344 in TU-Clausthal Staff
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in the TU-Clausthal Staff (tuc_staff) 0.3.0 and earlier extension for TYPO3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/28/2017
The CVE-2008-6344 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the TU-Clausthal Staff extension version 0.3.0 and earlier for the TYPO3 content management system. This vulnerability resides in the extension's handling of user input parameters that are directly incorporated into SQL query constructions without proper sanitization or parameterization. The flaw enables remote attackers to manipulate database queries by injecting malicious SQL code through unspecified input vectors, potentially allowing full database access and arbitrary command execution. The vulnerability specifically affects the TU-Clausthal Staff extension which is designed to manage staff information within TYPO3 environments, making it a significant concern for educational institutions using this particular CMS configuration.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the extension's database interaction components. When user-supplied data is directly concatenated into SQL query strings rather than being properly parameterized or escaped, attackers can inject malicious SQL fragments that alter the intended query behavior. This pattern aligns with CWE-89, which categorizes SQL injection vulnerabilities as weaknesses in software that fails to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into database queries. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require local system access or authentication to leverage the flaw, making it particularly dangerous in publicly accessible web environments where TYPO3 installations might be exposed to untrusted users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or modification to encompass complete system compromise and potential data breaches. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to extract sensitive information including user credentials, personal staff data, and potentially other database contents that the TYPO3 installation manages. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for attackers to modify or delete database records, potentially disrupting institutional operations and compromising the integrity of staff information systems. Given that many educational institutions rely on TYPO3 for their web presence, this vulnerability could affect thousands of organizations, particularly those using older versions of the TU-Clausthal Staff extension that have not been updated or patched.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through patching the TU-Clausthal Staff extension to version 0.3.1 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. System administrators should also implement input validation measures at multiple layers including web application firewalls and database access controls to provide defense-in-depth protection. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of keeping CMS extensions updated, as the patch for CVE-2008-6344 would have addressed the root cause of improper input handling through proper parameterization of database queries. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual database access patterns and SQL query structures that might indicate exploitation attempts, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage and T1046 for network service scanning that could precede exploitation of such vulnerabilities.