CVE-2008-6890 in ASP Forum Script
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in messages.asp in ASP Forum Script allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the message_id parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/13/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-6890 represents a critical sql injection flaw within the asp forum script's messages.asp component. This weakness arises from insufficient input validation and sanitization of user-supplied data, specifically the message_id parameter that is processed without proper security measures. The vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration CWE-89 which categorizes sql injection attacks as a serious security flaw where malicious sql commands can be executed through improperly validated input fields. The affected application fails to implement proper parameterized queries or input filtering mechanisms, allowing attackers to manipulate the sql query execution flow by injecting malicious sql code through the message_id parameter.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data retrieval manipulation. Remote attackers can leverage this weakness to execute arbitrary sql commands on the underlying database system, potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive user information, forum data, or even administrative privileges. The attack vector is particularly dangerous as it requires no authentication and can be executed from any remote location, making it highly exploitable in automated attack scenarios. This vulnerability directly maps to the attack technique described in the mitre attack framework under TA0001 initial access and TA0002 execution phases, where attackers establish foothold and execute malicious commands. The sql injection attack can result in complete database compromise, data exfiltration, modification of forum content, user account takeover, and potential lateral movement within the network infrastructure hosting the vulnerable application.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security hardening measures. The primary fix involves implementing proper input validation and sanitization techniques, including the adoption of parameterized queries or prepared statements that separate sql code from data input. Organizations should implement proper input filtering to reject or escape special sql characters and ensure that all user-supplied parameters undergo rigorous validation before processing. Additionally, the application should be configured with least privilege database accounts that limit the executed sql commands to only those necessary for forum functionality. Security headers and input sanitization libraries should be integrated into the application architecture to prevent injection attempts. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the forum script or related applications. The implementation of web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of protection against sql injection attempts. Organizations should also establish proper database monitoring and logging mechanisms to detect suspicious sql query patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and proper sql query construction practices, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security training and secure coding standards throughout the development lifecycle to prevent similar issues in future applications.