CVE-2002-0752 in csMailto
Summary
by MITRE
CGIscript.net csMailto.cgi program exports feedback to a file that is accessible from the web document root, which could allow remote attackers to obtain sensitive information by directly accessing the file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/21/2019
The vulnerability identified in CVE-2002-0752 resides within the CGIscript.net csMailto.cgi program, a web-based email submission script commonly deployed on web servers for handling user feedback forms. This particular implementation suffers from a critical misconfiguration that exposes sensitive data through improper file handling and web access controls. The flaw manifests when the script processes user feedback submissions and stores this information in a file that becomes directly accessible through the web document root, creating an information disclosure vulnerability that can be exploited by remote attackers without authentication.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the program's failure to properly secure temporary or log files containing sensitive user information. When users submit feedback through the csMailto.cgi form, the system creates a file in the web-accessible directory structure that contains the submitted data, including potentially confidential information such as user names, email addresses, and message content. This design flaw violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and proper access control, as the file permissions and directory structure allow direct web access to what should be protected internal data storage mechanisms. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-200, which encompasses information exposure issues, specifically focusing on improper access control of files and directories.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with a straightforward method for harvesting sensitive user data from compromised systems. Remote attackers can directly access these exported feedback files by constructing appropriate URLs pointing to the web-accessible file locations, potentially obtaining personal information, business communications, or other confidential data that users intended to submit through the feedback mechanism. This exposure creates risks for organizations that rely on web forms for customer support, user registration, or business communications, as the vulnerability enables systematic data collection without requiring any special privileges or complex attack vectors. The threat landscape for this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1005, which covers data from local system, as attackers can directly retrieve sensitive files from exposed web directories.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2002-0752 must address both the immediate exposure issue and the underlying architectural problems that enabled the vulnerability. Organizations should implement proper file access controls by ensuring that any files containing sensitive information are stored outside the web document root or are protected by appropriate access controls that prevent direct web access. The recommended approach includes configuring proper directory permissions, implementing secure file storage mechanisms, and ensuring that all temporary or log files are either stored in protected system directories or are properly secured with authentication mechanisms. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive security reviews of all CGI scripts and web applications to identify similar misconfigurations that could expose sensitive data through improper file handling practices. The remediation process should also involve implementing proper input validation and output encoding to prevent additional attack vectors while ensuring that all web-accessible resources maintain appropriate security boundaries. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to verify that similar vulnerabilities are not present in other web applications or server configurations.