CVE-2000-1110 in Net.Data
Summary
by MITRE
document.d2w CGI program in the IBM Net.Data db2www package allows remote attackers to determine the physical path of the web server by sending a nonexistent command to the program.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/11/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2000-1110 resides within the IBM Net.Data db2www package, specifically in the document.d2w CGI program that serves as a gateway for database web applications. This flaw represents a classic information disclosure vulnerability that emerged during the early 2000s when web application security was still developing as a formal discipline. The vulnerability manifests when the CGI program fails to properly sanitize user input, allowing remote attackers to exploit a path disclosure mechanism through crafted requests. When a nonexistent command is sent to the document.d2w program, it inadvertently reveals the physical path structure of the web server through its error responses, providing attackers with critical system information that could facilitate subsequent attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and error handling within the CGI application. The document.d2w program processes user requests without properly filtering or validating command parameters, creating an opportunity for attackers to inject malformed commands that trigger error responses containing server path information. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which categorizes information exposure flaws, and demonstrates poor secure coding practices that were common in legacy web applications of that era. The program's response to invalid commands reveals sensitive path information including directory structures, file locations, and potentially server configuration details that could be leveraged by attackers to understand the underlying system architecture.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability significantly compromises the security posture of affected systems by enabling attackers to gather reconnaissance information that would otherwise remain hidden. The disclosed path information provides attackers with knowledge of the web server's directory structure, which can be used to plan more sophisticated attacks such as directory traversal exploits, file inclusion vulnerabilities, or to identify potential weak points in the system's file access controls. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication, making it particularly dangerous as it allows attackers to map the server environment and identify potential attack vectors. This information disclosure represents a foundational security weakness that could enable further exploitation through techniques such as those described in the attack pattern taxonomy under ATT&CK technique T1083 for discovering system information.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve multiple layers of defensive measures that align with modern security best practices. Organizations should implement proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the CGI program to prevent malformed commands from triggering error responses that reveal system information. The recommended approach includes configuring the web server to suppress detailed error messages and implementing generic error responses that do not disclose path information. Additionally, access controls should be implemented to restrict direct access to CGI programs and their underlying file systems, while regular security audits should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in legacy applications. The remediation process should also include updating or replacing the affected IBM Net.Data db2www package with patched versions that address the path disclosure issue, following the principle of least privilege to limit the exposure of sensitive system information through error responses.