CVE-2008-6853 in NetCat
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in modules/poll/index.php in AIST NetCat 3.0 and 3.12 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the PollID parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/21/2024
The CVE-2008-6853 vulnerability represents a critical sql injection flaw discovered in the AIST NetCat content management system versions 3.0 and 3.12. This vulnerability resides within the modules/poll/index.php file and specifically targets the PollID parameter, creating a pathway for remote attackers to execute arbitrary sql commands against the underlying database system. The flaw demonstrates a classic input validation failure where user-supplied data is directly incorporated into sql query construction without proper sanitization or parameterization. This vulnerability type falls under the CWE-89 category of sql injection, which is consistently ranked among the top ten web application security risks by the owasp foundation and represents a fundamental weakness in database interaction design.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker submits malicious input through the PollID parameter, which then gets concatenated directly into sql queries executed by the application server. This allows attackers to manipulate the sql execution flow and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive database information, modify or delete records, or even escalate privileges within the database environment. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require local system access or authentication to exploit the flaw, making it particularly dangerous for publicly accessible web applications. The attack vector specifically targets the poll module functionality, suggesting that any system utilizing this particular version of netcat with polling features would be at risk.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data compromise to potentially enable complete system takeover scenarios. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to extract user credentials, financial data, or other sensitive information stored within the application's database. The severity of the impact depends largely on the database permissions assigned to the web application's database user account, but even limited access could allow for data exfiltration, service disruption, or further exploitation of the compromised system. This vulnerability aligns with several attack techniques documented in the mitre att&ck framework, particularly those related to credential access and privilege escalation through database exploitation. Organizations running affected versions of netcat would face significant risk of data breaches, regulatory compliance violations, and potential legal consequences.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-6853 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected netcat versions to the latest available releases that contain proper input validation and sql parameterization. Organizations should implement proper input sanitization measures including parameterized queries, prepared statements, and strict input validation for all user-supplied parameters. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by ensuring database accounts used by the web application have minimal required permissions and that all database interactions are properly validated. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of defense, though these should not replace proper code-level fixes. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual database access patterns and sql query execution that might indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar flaws in other application components and ensure comprehensive protection against sql injection attacks across the entire application infrastructure.