CVE-1999-1374 in perlshop
Summary
by MITRE
perlshop.cgi shopping cart program stores sensitive customer information in directories and files that are under the web root, which allows remote attackers to obtain that information via an HTTP request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/20/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-1999-1374 represents a critical security flaw in the perlshop.cgi shopping cart application that was prevalent during the late 1990s era of web commerce. This issue falls under the category of improper access control and insecure data storage practices that were common in early web applications. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly isolate sensitive customer data from web-accessible directories, creating a direct pathway for malicious actors to extract confidential information through simple HTTP requests.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's directory structure and file permissions where customer sensitive data such as personal information, payment details, and order histories are stored in locations that are directly accessible through the web server's document root. This configuration violates fundamental security principles of data isolation and access control, allowing unauthorized users to bypass normal authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically enables remote attackers to retrieve customer information by constructing appropriate HTTP requests that target these exposed directories, effectively eliminating the need for any authentication credentials or complex exploitation techniques.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates severe consequences for both businesses and consumers. Customer data exposure can lead to identity theft, financial fraud, and loss of consumer trust in the affected e-commerce platform. The ease of exploitation means that attackers can systematically harvest large volumes of sensitive information without requiring advanced technical skills or specialized tools. Organizations using this vulnerable software faced potential regulatory violations under data protection laws that were emerging during this period, as well as significant financial losses due to compromised customer data and potential legal liabilities.
The vulnerability demonstrates clear violations of several cybersecurity standards and frameworks, including CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and CWE-732 (Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource) which directly relate to the insecure storage of sensitive data and improper file permissions. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 (Phishing) and T1071.004 (Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols) as attackers can leverage web protocols to access exposed data. The remediation approach should focus on proper directory structure reconfiguration, implementation of access controls, and ensuring that sensitive data is stored outside the web root directory with appropriate file permissions and authentication mechanisms.
Security best practices for preventing such vulnerabilities include implementing proper data separation between web-accessible and sensitive data storage areas, establishing robust access control policies, and conducting regular security audits of file permissions and directory structures. Organizations should also implement defense-in-depth strategies that include web application firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar configuration flaws. The incident highlights the importance of secure coding practices and proper security architecture design in web applications, particularly in e-commerce systems where sensitive customer data is processed and stored.