CVE-2009-0711 in PHPFootball
Summary
by MITRE
filter.php in PHPFootball 1.6 and earlier allows remote attackers to retrieve password hashes via a request with an Accounts value for the dbtable parameter, in conjunction with a Password value for the dbfield parameter. NOTE: this has been reported as a SQL injection vulnerability by some sources, but the provenance of that information is unknown.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/21/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-0711 affects PHPFootball version 1.6 and earlier, presenting a significant security risk through improper input validation in the filter.php script. This flaw enables remote attackers to extract password hashes from the application's database through a carefully crafted HTTP request that manipulates the dbtable and dbfield parameters. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly sanitize user-supplied input before incorporating it into database queries, creating an avenue for unauthorized data access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of database table and field parameters within the filter.php script. When an attacker submits a request containing Accounts as the dbtable parameter and Password as the dbfield parameter, the application processes these inputs without adequate validation or sanitization. This processing allows the attacker to construct a database query that returns password hash information from the accounts table. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-89 as SQL injection, though the specific nature of this flaw involves direct data exposure rather than code execution. The flaw represents a classic case of insufficient input validation where user-controllable parameters are directly used in database operations without proper escaping or parameterization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted. Remote attackers can obtain password hashes from the PHPFootball application's database, which compromises the authentication security model of the entire system. Once obtained, these password hashes can be subjected to offline dictionary attacks, rainbow table lookups, or other cryptanalytic techniques to recover plaintext passwords. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality and integrity of user credentials, potentially leading to unauthorized access to user accounts and the broader system. This type of information disclosure vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213.002 for Credential Access through data from password storage devices, and represents a significant risk to the application's security posture.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of input validation and parameterized queries throughout the PHPFootball application. The primary fix involves sanitizing all user-supplied inputs for the dbtable and dbfield parameters, ensuring that only predefined, legitimate values are accepted. Additionally, implementing proper database query parameterization prevents the injection of malicious SQL fragments. Access controls should be strengthened to limit database access permissions for the web application, ensuring that the application can only query specific tables and fields necessary for its functionality. Regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar input validation flaws, with the implementation of automated security testing tools to prevent future occurrences of this class of vulnerability. Organizations should also consider implementing network-level protections and monitoring for suspicious database access patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts.