CVE-2009-3205 in CBAuthority
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in main.php in CBAuthority allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the id parameter in a view_product action.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-3205 represents a critical sql injection flaw within the CBAuthority content management system where the main.php script fails to properly sanitize user input. This weakness specifically manifests when processing the id parameter during a view_product action, creating an exploitable condition that allows remote attackers to inject malicious sql commands directly into the application's database layer. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and parameter sanitization mechanisms that fail to distinguish between legitimate user data and potentially malicious sql payloads. According to the common weakness enumeration framework, this vulnerability maps to CWE-89 which categorizes sql injection as a severe weakness that enables attackers to manipulate database queries and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. The attack surface extends beyond simple data extraction to include complete database compromise, privilege escalation, and potential system infiltration through database-level attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends significantly beyond immediate data theft, as it provides attackers with the capability to execute arbitrary sql commands with the privileges of the database user account under which the application operates. This means that an attacker could potentially delete entire tables, modify critical system data, create new user accounts with elevated privileges, or even execute operating system commands if the database server permits such functionality. The remote nature of the attack eliminates the need for physical access or local network presence, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous for web applications that are publicly accessible. The vulnerability affects the application's authentication and authorization mechanisms, potentially allowing attackers to bypass security controls entirely and gain full administrative access to the content management system. From an attack technique perspective, this vulnerability aligns with the attack pattern described in the attack tree framework where attackers can leverage sql injection to achieve privilege escalation and persistent access to target systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-3205 must address both immediate remediation and long-term security hardening measures to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future development cycles. The primary fix involves implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries throughout the application code, specifically ensuring that all user-supplied parameters including the id parameter in the view_product action are properly sanitized before being incorporated into sql statements. Database access controls should be implemented to limit the privileges of the application's database user account, following the principle of least privilege to minimize potential damage from successful exploitation attempts. Regular security code reviews and automated static analysis tools should be employed to identify similar patterns throughout the codebase that could present analogous vulnerabilities. Network-level protections including web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of defense against exploitation attempts. The implementation of proper error handling mechanisms that prevent database error messages from being exposed to end users helps reduce information leakage that could aid attackers in crafting successful payloads. Organizations should also establish comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure timely deployment of security updates and maintain detailed inventory of all web applications to identify potential exposure to similar vulnerabilities across their infrastructure.