CVE-2002-0249 in HTTP Server
Summary
by MITRE
PHP for Windows, when installed on Apache 2.0.28 beta as a standalone CGI module, allows remote attackers to obtain the physical path of the php.exe via a request with malformed arguments such as /123, which leaks the pathname in the error message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/21/2025
This vulnerability exists in PHP for Windows versions when deployed as a standalone CGI module within Apache 2.0.28 beta environments. The flaw manifests when the web server processes requests containing malformed arguments, specifically sequences like /123 that cause the PHP CGI interpreter to generate error messages containing sensitive path information. The vulnerability represents a classic information disclosure issue that can be exploited by remote attackers to gain knowledge about the underlying system architecture and file system structure.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability involves the improper handling of malformed input parameters within the PHP CGI execution environment. When Apache processes a request through the PHP CGI module, it passes the requested URI as arguments to the php.exe binary. In the affected configuration, the PHP interpreter fails to properly validate or sanitize these arguments before processing them, leading to error conditions that inadvertently expose the physical path of the php.exe executable. This occurs because the error handling routine includes the absolute path in diagnostic messages, which are then returned to the requesting client.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple path disclosure, as it provides attackers with critical system information that can be leveraged for subsequent attacks. Knowledge of the physical path enables attackers to craft more sophisticated exploitation techniques, including potential local file inclusion attacks or directory traversal attempts. The vulnerability specifically affects Windows environments where PHP is configured as a CGI module rather than as an Apache module, making it particularly relevant to certain deployment scenarios in enterprise web hosting environments.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses information exposure through error messages, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege in system design. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a reconnaissance technique under initial access, where adversaries gather information about target systems to inform later stages of their attack lifecycle. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of PHP for Windows, configuring proper input validation, and ensuring that error messages do not contain sensitive system information. Additionally, deploying web application firewalls and implementing proper access controls can help reduce the attack surface and limit the exposure of such information disclosure vulnerabilities.