CVE-2012-5692 in IP.Board
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in admin/sources/base/core.php in Invision Power Board (aka IPB or IP.Board) 3.1.x through 3.3.x has unknown impact and remote attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/29/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-5692 affects Invision Power Board versions 3.1.x through 3.3.x and resides within the admin/sources/base/core.php file. This unspecified weakness represents a critical security flaw that allows attackers to exploit remote execution capabilities through unspecified attack vectors. The vulnerability's classification as unspecified indicates that the exact nature of the flaw was not fully disclosed in the initial advisory, creating uncertainty for security professionals and system administrators who must assess risk without complete technical details.
The technical nature of this vulnerability suggests a potential code execution or privilege escalation issue within the administrative core components of the IPB platform. Given that the flaw exists in the core.php file, which typically handles fundamental system operations and user authentication processes, attackers could potentially leverage this weakness to gain unauthorized access to administrative functions. This type of vulnerability often maps to CWE-94, which describes "Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')" or similar control flow issues that allow attackers to execute arbitrary code within the application's context. The remote attack vector implies that exploitation can occur without requiring physical access to the system or prior authentication, making it particularly dangerous for web applications.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-5692 extends beyond simple data compromise, as it could enable attackers to fully compromise the affected IPB installations. Once exploited, attackers might gain administrative privileges, allowing them to modify or delete content, alter user permissions, access sensitive data, or even install malicious software on the web server. The vulnerability affects a significant portion of the IPB user base during that time period, as versions 3.1.x through 3.3.x were widely deployed across numerous websites and forums. This widespread exposure increases the potential attack surface and makes the vulnerability particularly attractive to automated exploit campaigns. The impact on organizations using IPB systems could include complete service disruption, data breaches, and potential legal consequences due to compromised user information and regulatory compliance violations.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigation strategies including applying the vendor-provided security patches, implementing network segmentation to limit access to administrative interfaces, and monitoring for suspicious activity in web server logs. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this vulnerability under T1059, "Command and Scripting Interpreter," as exploitation likely involves executing malicious commands within the application environment. Additional protective measures should include implementing web application firewalls, restricting administrative access through IP whitelisting, and conducting thorough security audits of the affected systems. Given the age of this vulnerability, organizations should also consider migrating to more modern forum platforms that receive regular security updates and have better long-term support. The lack of specific details in the original CVE description underscores the importance of vendor advisories and security bulletins in understanding and addressing unknown vulnerabilities that may have significant implications for web application security.