CVE-2003-1526 in PHP-Nuke
Summary
by MITRE
PHP-Nuke 7.0 allows remote attackers to obtain the installation path via certain characters such as (1) ", (2) , or (3) > in the search field, which reveals the path in an error message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/13/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-1526 affects PHP-Nuke version 7.0 and represents a classic information disclosure flaw that exposes sensitive system details to remote attackers. This vulnerability specifically manifests when users submit certain special characters through the search functionality of the web application. The affected characters include double quotes, commas, and greater-than symbols which when processed by the application trigger error messages containing the absolute installation path of the PHP-Nuke system. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of improper error handling and information exposure, which aligns with CWE-209 and CWE-497 in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog. The flaw demonstrates a fundamental security issue in how the application processes user input without proper sanitization or validation mechanisms.
The technical execution of this vulnerability exploits the lack of input filtering within the search module of PHP-Nuke 7.0. When an attacker submits a search query containing the specified special characters, the application fails to properly escape or validate the input before processing it through the backend systems. This results in the generation of error messages that inadvertently reveal the complete file system path where PHP-Nuke is installed. The exposure of installation paths provides attackers with critical system information that can be leveraged for further exploitation attempts. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires no authentication to exploit, making it particularly dangerous as it can be discovered and utilized by any remote user with access to the web interface. This type of attack vector is commonly categorized under the ATT&CK framework as T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) and T1212 (Exploitation for Credential Access) when combined with other reconnaissance activities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with the foundation for more sophisticated attacks. Knowledge of the exact installation path enables attackers to craft targeted attacks that may exploit other vulnerabilities present in the system or to bypass security controls that rely on path-based assumptions. The exposure of system paths can also facilitate directory traversal attacks, where attackers might attempt to access restricted files or directories that are not intended to be publicly accessible. This vulnerability essentially undermines the principle of least privilege by revealing internal system structure information that should remain confidential. The implications are particularly severe in environments where multiple applications share similar directory structures or where the installation path contains sensitive information about the server configuration. Organizations running PHP-Nuke 7.0 are at risk of having their system architecture compromised, potentially leading to more serious security breaches including privilege escalation or data exfiltration attempts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2003-1526 should focus on implementing proper input validation and error handling mechanisms within the PHP-Nuke application. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user input before processing it through the search functionality, particularly by escaping or removing special characters that could trigger error conditions. Organizations should also implement comprehensive error handling that prevents the exposure of system paths in error messages to end users. This can be achieved by configuring the application to display generic error messages instead of detailed system information. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and input validation rules can provide an additional layer of protection against such attacks. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to the principle of input sanitization as outlined in OWASP Top Ten security guidelines. Regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other parts of the application, as this type of information disclosure flaw often indicates broader security weaknesses in the codebase. System administrators should also consider implementing monitoring solutions that can detect and alert on unusual search patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The recommended remediation includes updating to a patched version of PHP-Nuke or applying the appropriate security patches that address the improper error handling mechanism.