CVE-2002-2342 in Bannermatic
Summary
by MITRE
Bannermatic 1, 2, and 3 stores the (1) ban.log, (2) ban.bak, (3) ban.dat and (4) banmat.pwd data files under the web document root with insufficient access control, which allows attackers to obtain sensitive information via a direct request for the files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/28/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-2342 affects Bannermatic versions 1, 2, and 3, representing a critical security flaw in web application configuration and file access control mechanisms. This issue stems from improper file placement and inadequate access restrictions within the web server environment, creating an avenue for unauthorized information disclosure that directly violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and proper resource isolation. The affected software stores critical data files including ban.log, ban.bak, ban.dat, and banmat.pwd in the web document root directory, which fundamentally compromises the security posture of the application by exposing sensitive operational data to any attacker capable of making direct HTTP requests.
The technical flaw manifests through insufficient access control measures that fail to properly restrict access to sensitive data files stored within the web accessible directory structure. These files contain information that could include user access logs, backup data, operational parameters, and potentially authentication credentials stored in the banmat.pwd file. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-276, which describes improper file permissions and inadequate access control mechanisms, and represents a classic example of insecure direct object reference vulnerabilities that allow attackers to bypass authorization checks. The flaw operates at the file system level where the web server configuration fails to implement proper access controls, enabling attackers to directly request these files through standard HTTP methods without proper authentication or authorization verification.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable further exploitation attempts and comprehensive system reconnaissance. Attackers can directly access and download the ban.log file which may contain detailed information about failed access attempts, user activities, and system behavior patterns. The ban.bak file provides backup data that could contain historical sensitive information, while ban.dat likely contains operational configuration data that might reveal system architecture details. The banmat.pwd file represents the most critical concern as it likely contains password or credential information that could enable privilege escalation or authentication bypass attacks. This vulnerability creates a pathway for attackers to gather intelligence about system operations and potentially identify additional attack vectors, making it a significant concern for organizations relying on this software.
Security mitigation strategies must focus on immediate remediation of the file placement and access control issues within the Bannermatic application environment. The primary recommendation involves moving sensitive data files outside the web document root directory and implementing proper access controls through web server configuration directives or application-level access control mechanisms. Organizations should implement proper file permissions that restrict access to these sensitive files to only authorized system processes and administrators. The implementation of proper access control lists and authentication mechanisms for file access should be enforced, potentially leveraging the principle of least privilege as outlined in cybersecurity frameworks. Additionally, regular security audits of web application configurations should be conducted to identify and remediate similar insecure file placement patterns, and the ATT&CK framework's T1213 technique for Data from Information Repositories should be considered when evaluating the broader threat landscape for similar vulnerabilities in web applications.