CVE-2014-4928 in Invision Power Board
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in Invision Power Board (aka IPB or IP.Board) before 3.4.6 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the cId parameter.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/15/2020
The CVE-2014-4928 vulnerability represents a critical SQL injection flaw discovered in Invision Power Board versions prior to 3.4.6, affecting one of the most widely deployed forum platforms on the internet. This vulnerability resides within the application's handling of user input parameters, specifically the cId parameter that is used for categorizing content within the forum's database operations. The flaw allows remote attackers to inject malicious SQL commands directly into the database query execution flow, potentially compromising the entire forum infrastructure and underlying data systems.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when the application fails to properly sanitize or escape user-supplied input before incorporating it into SQL queries. When an attacker submits a crafted cId parameter value containing malicious SQL code, the application processes this input without adequate validation, leading to unauthorized database access. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-89 category, which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws where untrusted data is directly included in SQL command construction without proper input sanitization or parameterization. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic lack of input validation and output encoding practices that are fundamental to preventing injection attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-4928 extends far beyond simple data theft, as successful exploitation can enable attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the database server, extract sensitive user information including passwords and personal data, modify forum content, and potentially escalate privileges to gain full administrative control over the affected system. This vulnerability directly maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1071.005 for application layer protocol usage, T1190 for exploit for client execution, and T1046 for network service scanning. Organizations running vulnerable IPB installations face significant risk of data breaches, reputational damage, and potential regulatory compliance violations, particularly in environments where user privacy and data protection are paramount.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected IPB installations to version 3.4.6 or later, which includes proper input validation and parameterized query implementations. Security administrators should also implement additional protective measures such as web application firewalls, database query monitoring, and regular security audits to detect and prevent similar injection attacks. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions, implementing proper input validation frameworks, and following secure coding practices that align with industry standards such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten project and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify other potential injection points within their applications and ensure proper database access controls are implemented to limit the potential damage from successful attacks.