CVE-2009-4166 in mchtrips
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in the Trips (mchtrips) extension 2.0.0 for TYPO3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/23/2019
The CVE-2009-4166 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the Trips extension version 2.0.0 for the TYPO3 content management system. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-89 category, which specifically addresses SQL injection weaknesses in software applications. The Trips extension, designed to manage travel-related content and bookings within TYPO3 environments, contains a dangerous input validation flaw that permits malicious actors to manipulate database queries through crafted input parameters. The vulnerability exists in the extension's handling of user-supplied data within database operations, creating an attack surface where remote adversaries can inject malicious SQL code without requiring authentication or privileged access to the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization and parameterization of user inputs within the Trips extension's database interaction code. When the extension processes requests containing travel-related data, it fails to properly escape or parameterize input values before incorporating them into SQL queries. This allows attackers to inject malicious SQL fragments that execute with the privileges of the database user account under which the TYPO3 application operates. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the description suggest that multiple input points within the extension could serve as attack entry points, including form submissions, URL parameters, or API endpoints that handle trip-related data processing. Attackers can leverage this flaw to perform unauthorized database operations such as data extraction, modification, or deletion, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
The operational impact of CVE-2009-4166 extends beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with extensive database manipulation capabilities. Successful exploitation could enable threat actors to access sensitive user information, including personal travel details, booking records, and potentially authentication credentials stored within the TYPO3 database. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers can exploit it from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access to the server infrastructure. This makes the attack surface particularly dangerous for organizations running TYPO3 installations with the vulnerable Trips extension, as the system becomes immediately vulnerable to automated scanning and exploitation. The attack could result in complete data breaches, service disruption, and potential regulatory compliance violations depending on the nature of the stored data.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate remediation measures including updating to the patched version of the Trips extension, applying TYPO3 core security updates, and conducting comprehensive security assessments of their TYPO3 installations. Network segmentation and database access controls should be reviewed to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation and T1566 for credential access through injection attacks. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls and database activity monitoring to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Regular security audits and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other TYPO3 extensions and the core CMS platform. The incident highlights the critical importance of proper input validation and parameterized queries in preventing SQL injection vulnerabilities, which remain among the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws in the industry.