CVE-2002-0583 in Xpede
Summary
by MITRE
WorkforceROI Xpede 4.1 uses a small random namespace (5 alphanumeric characters) for temporary expense claim reports in the /reports/temp directory, which allows remote attackers to read the reports via a brute force attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/07/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-0583 affects WorkforceROI Xpede version 4.1, a workforce management solution that handles expense claim reporting. This issue stems from a weak randomization mechanism in the temporary file naming convention used for expense reports. The system generates temporary report files with only five alphanumeric characters in their filenames, creating a severely limited namespace that can be easily exploited through automated brute force techniques.
The technical flaw resides in the insufficient entropy of the randomization process, specifically the use of only 5 alphanumeric characters for temporary file naming. This creates a namespace of approximately 262,144 possible combinations (36^5), which is trivial for modern computational resources to exhaust through brute force attacks. The temporary files are stored in the /reports/temp directory, making them accessible to remote attackers who can systematically guess the filenames and gain unauthorized access to sensitive expense claim data.
This vulnerability represents a significant security risk as it enables unauthorized data access and potential information disclosure. Attackers can exploit this weakness to obtain confidential financial information including employee expense details, claim amounts, and supporting documentation. The impact extends beyond simple data exposure since expense claims often contain sensitive personal information and business financial data that could be used for identity theft, fraud, or competitive intelligence gathering. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-330 Use of Insufficiently Random Values, which emphasizes the critical importance of proper randomization in security-sensitive contexts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial for organizations using WorkforceROI Xpede 4.1, as it creates an automated attack vector that requires minimal expertise to exploit. Remote attackers can systematically enumerate temporary files without requiring authentication, making this a particularly dangerous weakness. The vulnerability also demonstrates poor security design principles in file handling and temporary storage management, as it fails to implement adequate access controls or sufficiently random naming schemes. Organizations may face regulatory compliance issues if sensitive expense data is compromised, particularly in industries subject to financial reporting standards and data protection regulations.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper randomization with sufficient entropy for temporary file naming, ideally using cryptographically secure random number generators that produce filenames with at least 128 bits of entropy. Organizations should also implement proper access controls and file permissions on temporary directories, ensuring that temporary files are not accessible via web directories. The system should be updated to use longer random strings for temporary file names and implement additional security measures such as time-based file expiration and automated cleanup processes. Network-level protections including firewall rules and web application firewalls should be configured to limit access to temporary directories and monitor for suspicious file access patterns. This vulnerability highlights the importance of following security best practices outlined in NIST SP 800-90B for random number generation and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213.002 for Data from Information Repositories, emphasizing the need for proper access controls and secure temporary file handling in enterprise applications.