CVE-2009-3208 in phpfreeBB
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in phpfreeBB 1.0 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the (1) id parameter to permalink.php and (2) year parameter to index.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/02/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-3208 represents a critical security flaw in phpfreeBB version 1.0 that exposes the application to remote SQL injection attacks. This vulnerability affects two distinct endpoints within the forum software, creating multiple attack vectors for malicious actors seeking to compromise the system. The issue stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization practices within the application's codebase, specifically in how user-supplied parameters are processed and integrated into database queries. The affected parameters include the id parameter in permalink.php and the year parameter in index.php, both of which are directly incorporated into SQL statements without proper sanitization measures.
This vulnerability falls under the CWE-89 category of SQL Injection, which is classified as a severe weakness in application security that allows attackers to manipulate database queries through malicious input. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that both vulnerable parameters are accessible through standard web requests, making exploitation relatively straightforward for threat actors with basic technical knowledge. The SQL injection occurs because the application directly concatenates user input into SQL queries without employing parameterized queries or proper input sanitization techniques. This flaw enables attackers to inject malicious SQL code that can be executed by the database engine, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as successful exploitation could allow attackers to gain complete control over the database backend. Remote attackers could extract sensitive information including user credentials, private messages, forum content, and potentially escalate privileges within the application environment. The vulnerability's reach is amplified by the fact that phpfreeBB was a widely deployed forum solution, meaning that multiple organizations and individuals were potentially exposed to this risk. Additionally, the nature of SQL injection vulnerabilities makes them particularly dangerous because they can be leveraged to perform actions such as creating new database users, modifying existing records, or even executing system commands if the database server has appropriate permissions.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement comprehensive mitigation strategies to protect their systems. The primary remediation involves patching the application to version 1.0.1 or later, which includes proper input validation and sanitization measures. Security teams should also implement web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious SQL injection patterns targeting these specific parameters. Input validation should be strengthened to reject any non-numeric characters in the id parameter and implement proper parameterized queries for all database interactions. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application, highlighting the importance of network segmentation and access controls to limit potential attack surfaces. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications, as this flaw demonstrates the critical need for proper input validation in web applications. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing security development practices such as the OWASP Secure Coding Practices to prevent similar issues from occurring in future deployments.