CVE-2002-1886 in TightAuction
Summary
by MITRE
TightAuction 3.0 stores config.inc under the web document root with insufficient access control, which allows remote attackers to obtain the database username and password.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/01/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2002-1886 represents a critical configuration flaw in TightAuction 3.0 that exposes sensitive database credentials to remote attackers. This issue stems from improper file placement and access control mechanisms within the web application's architecture. The config.inc file, which contains essential database connection parameters including usernames and passwords, is stored in the web document root directory where it becomes accessible through standard web requests. This misconfiguration creates an attack surface that allows adversaries to directly retrieve authentication credentials without requiring any specialized exploitation techniques.
The technical flaw manifests as a violation of the principle of least privilege and proper access control implementation. When configuration files containing sensitive information are placed in publicly accessible directories, they become vulnerable to enumeration and direct retrieval attacks. The web server serves these files without proper authentication checks, effectively providing attackers with immediate access to database credentials that can be used for unauthorized database access and potential system compromise. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-732, which describes inadequate permissions for critical resources, and represents a classic example of insecure configuration management that violates fundamental security principles.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as attackers can leverage the stolen database credentials to perform various malicious activities including data exfiltration, database manipulation, and potential lateral movement within the network infrastructure. Once attackers obtain the database credentials, they can directly access and modify the application's backend data, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires no complex exploitation techniques, making it highly attractive to automated attack tools and less skilled adversaries. This weakness enables threat actors to bypass traditional authentication mechanisms and gain immediate access to the underlying database system.
Mitigation strategies should focus on proper file placement and access control implementation to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive configuration files. The primary remediation involves moving the config.inc file outside the web document root and implementing proper access controls that restrict file access to authorized processes only. Security administrators should implement the principle of least privilege by ensuring that only necessary processes can access database credentials, while also configuring web server permissions to prevent direct access to sensitive files. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular security audits to identify and remediate similar misconfigurations across their infrastructure, as this vulnerability type remains prevalent in many web applications and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers credential access through exploitation of weak configurations. The remediation process should also include implementing proper logging and monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts to sensitive files, thereby providing visibility into potential exploitation attempts and supporting incident response activities.