CVE-2012-4925 in Img Pals Photo Host
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in approve.php in Img Pals Photo Host 1.0 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the u parameter in a (1) app0 or (2) app1 action. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained solely from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/20/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2012-4925 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the Img Pals Photo Host 1.0 web application, specifically targeting the approve.php script. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-89, which classifies SQL injection as a persistent security weakness that allows attackers to manipulate database queries through untrusted input. The affected application processes user input through the u parameter during specific actions, namely app0 and app1, creating an attack surface where malicious actors can inject arbitrary SQL commands into the database layer.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious input for the u parameter in the approve.php script, which then gets incorporated into SQL queries without proper sanitization or parameterization. This allows unauthorized users to bypass authentication mechanisms, extract sensitive data, modify database contents, or even execute administrative commands on the underlying database system. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by its remote nature, meaning attackers do not require physical access to the system to exploit it, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that are publicly accessible.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the photo hosting platform's data. Attackers could potentially access user accounts, personal photos, and other sensitive information stored in the database, leading to privacy breaches and potential identity theft. The exploitation could also result in data corruption or complete database compromise, depending on the attacker's objectives and the database system's configuration. The vulnerability affects the application's authentication and authorization mechanisms, potentially allowing privilege escalation attacks where low-privilege users could gain administrative access to the system.
Security professionals should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability. The primary remediation involves input validation and parameterized queries to ensure that user input cannot be interpreted as SQL commands. The application should enforce strict input sanitization, particularly for parameters used in database operations, and implement proper error handling to prevent information leakage. Additionally, the system should be updated to the latest version of Img Pals Photo Host where this vulnerability has been addressed. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional protection by monitoring and filtering suspicious database queries. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1190 (Exploit Public-Facing Application) and T1071.005 (Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols) categories, highlighting the need for comprehensive security controls that address both application-level and network-level threats. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in their web applications and ensure proper security patch management processes are in place to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities.