CVE-2009-4396 in Pd Resources
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in the Diocese of Portsmouth Resources Database (pd_resources) extension 0.1.1 and earlier for TYPO3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via unspecified vectors.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/21/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-4396 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the Diocese of Portsmouth Resources Database extension for TYPO3 content management system. This vulnerability affects versions 0.1.1 and earlier, creating a significant security risk for organizations utilizing this specific TYPO3 extension. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands against the underlying database system, potentially leading to complete database compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive information.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the pd_resources extension code. When user-supplied data is directly incorporated into SQL queries without proper escaping or parameterization, attackers can manipulate the query structure to execute malicious commands. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws where untrusted data is concatenated into SQL commands without proper validation or encoding. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the description suggest that multiple entry points within the extension could be exploited, making the attack surface broader and more difficult to predict.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform complete database compromise operations. Successful exploitation could result in unauthorized data access, data modification, data deletion, and potentially full system control if the database user has elevated privileges. Attackers could extract sensitive information such as user credentials, personal data, and organizational information stored within the database. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation does not require physical access to the system, making it particularly dangerous for web applications accessible over the internet. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 which covers application layer protocol manipulation, specifically targeting database communication channels.
Organizations utilizing the affected TYPO3 extension should immediately implement multiple layers of mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability. The primary recommendation involves upgrading to a patched version of the pd_resources extension where available, as this represents the most direct solution to the underlying code flaw. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms can help prevent malicious data from being processed as part of SQL queries. Database access controls should be reviewed to ensure that database users have the minimum required privileges, limiting the potential impact of successful exploitation. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional monitoring and blocking capabilities for suspicious SQL injection attempts. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the TYPO3 installation. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of maintaining current security patches for all CMS components and extensions, as outdated software often contains known vulnerabilities that attackers can readily exploit.