CVE-2009-2096 in phpCollegeExchange
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in house/listing_view.php in phpCollegeExchange 0.1.5c allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the itemnr parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-2096 represents a critical sql injection flaw within the phpCollegeExchange web application version 0.1.5c. This vulnerability specifically affects the house/listing_view.php script where user input is not properly sanitized before being incorporated into sql query constructions. The attack vector targets the itemnr parameter which serves as the primary interface for user input that gets directly concatenated into database queries without adequate validation or escaping mechanisms. This type of vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration CWE-89 which categorizes sql injection as a severe issue that can lead to complete database compromise and unauthorized data access.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers submit malicious input through the itemnr parameter, allowing them to inject arbitrary sql commands that execute within the database context. The lack of input validation means that sql metacharacters and command sequences can be interpreted by the database engine rather than being treated as literal data. This enables attackers to manipulate the underlying database structure, extract sensitive information, modify or delete records, and potentially escalate privileges within the database environment. The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental failure in input sanitization and output encoding practices that are essential for preventing sql injection attacks according to industry best practices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft to encompass complete system compromise and potential business disruption. Successful exploitation could result in unauthorized access to student listings, financial data, or other sensitive information stored within the phpCollegeExchange application. Attackers might also leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access points, modify application behavior, or create backdoors for future exploitation. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can exploit this vulnerability from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that handle sensitive user data.
Security mitigations for CVE-2009-2096 should focus on implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries to prevent sql injection attacks. Organizations should immediately apply the vendor-supplied patches or upgrade to newer versions of phpCollegeExchange that address this vulnerability. The implementation of web application firewalls and sql injection detection mechanisms can provide additional layers of protection. According to the mitre attack framework, this vulnerability could be categorized as part of the initial access phase where attackers seek to gain unauthorized system access through application-level exploits. Regular security testing including dynamic application security testing and static code analysis should be implemented to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications. The use of prepared statements and stored procedures with proper parameter binding mechanisms should become standard practice for all database interactions within web applications to prevent such vulnerabilities from occurring in the future.