CVE-2004-1974 in paFileDB
Summary
by MITRE
paFileDB 3.1 allows remote attackers to gain sensitive information via a direct request to (1) login.php, (2) category.php, (3) search.php, (4) main.php, (5) viewall.php, (6) download.php, (7) email.php, (8) file.php, (9) rate.php, or (10) stats.php, which reveals the path in an error message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/18/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-1974 affects paFileDB version 3.1, a file sharing database application that was widely used in web environments during the early 2000s. This security flaw represents a classic case of information disclosure through improper error handling mechanisms within the application's core components. The vulnerability manifests when remote attackers can directly access ten specific PHP files within the application's directory structure, including login.php, category.php, search.php, main.php, viewall.php, download.php, email.php, file.php, rate.php, and stats.php. When these files are accessed without proper authentication or validation, they generate error messages that inadvertently expose the server's file system paths to unauthorized users. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-200 category of "Information Exposure" and specifically relates to CWE-425, which addresses "Direct Request" attacks where applications fail to properly validate user requests. The exposure of file system paths through error messages provides attackers with critical information about the underlying server architecture and file locations, which can serve as a foundation for subsequent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental lack of proper input validation and error handling within the application's authentication and access control mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the application's failure to properly validate and sanitize user requests before processing them. When an attacker accesses any of the ten specified PHP files without proper authentication or through malformed requests, the application generates error messages that contain the full server path where the application is installed. This occurs because the application does not implement proper error handling procedures that would mask sensitive information in error messages. The exposed paths typically include the complete directory structure where the paFileDB application resides on the web server, potentially revealing the document root, application directory names, and even the operating system's file structure. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1083, "File and Directory Discovery," as it provides attackers with detailed information about the file system structure. Additionally, the vulnerability represents a weakness in the application's security posture that could lead to privilege escalation or other advanced attacks once the path information is obtained. The exposure of these paths could enable attackers to craft more sophisticated attacks targeting specific files or directories within the application's structure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates a significant security risk for organizations using paFileDB 3.1. The leaked server paths can be exploited by attackers to perform directory traversal attacks, identify potential vulnerabilities in the file system, or craft targeted attacks against specific application components. The exposure of the application's installation path allows threat actors to better understand the environment in which the application operates, potentially enabling them to identify version-specific vulnerabilities or misconfigurations. Organizations may face compliance issues if this information is discovered during security audits, as it represents a failure to implement proper security controls. The vulnerability also increases the risk of cascading attacks, where the exposed path information can be used in conjunction with other vulnerabilities to gain deeper access to the system. This type of information disclosure is particularly concerning in environments where the application is hosted on shared servers or where multiple applications share the same infrastructure, as it could expose the attack surface of the entire hosting environment. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it affects multiple core application files, providing attackers with comprehensive access to the application's directory structure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2004-1974 should focus on implementing proper error handling and input validation mechanisms within the paFileDB application. The most effective immediate solution involves modifying the application's PHP files to suppress detailed error messages that contain server path information, instead displaying generic error messages to users. Organizations should implement proper authentication checks before allowing access to any of the vulnerable files, ensuring that all requests are properly validated and authorized. The application should be configured to log errors internally without exposing them to end users, following the principle of least privilege and secure error handling practices. Additionally, the application should be updated to a newer version that addresses this vulnerability, as paFileDB 3.1 is an outdated version that likely contains multiple other security issues. Security hardening measures should include disabling directory listing, implementing proper access controls, and ensuring that error messages do not contain sensitive system information. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can also help detect and block direct requests to vulnerable files. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other applications within the organization's infrastructure, as this vulnerability demonstrates a pattern of insecure coding practices that could affect other legacy applications. The remediation process should also include proper security training for developers to prevent similar issues in future application development cycles, emphasizing the importance of secure error handling and input validation.