CVE-2004-2039 in e107
Summary
by MITRE
e107 0.615 allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via a direct request to (1) alt_news.php, (2) backend_menu.php, (3) clock_menu.php, (4) counter_menu.php, (5) login_menu.php, and other files, which reveal the full path in a PHP error message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/11/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-2039 affects the e107 content management system version 0.615 and represents a sensitive information disclosure flaw that exposes critical system details to remote attackers. This vulnerability stems from the improper handling of PHP error messages within multiple administrative and menu components of the CMS, specifically targeting files including alt_news.php, backend_menu.php, clock_menu.php, counter_menu.php, and login_menu.php. The flaw allows attackers to craft direct requests to these specific files and receive detailed error responses containing the full server path where the application is installed.
This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-200, which specifically addresses "Information Exposure" and represents a critical security weakness where sensitive information is inadvertently disclosed to unauthorized parties. The exposure of full server paths through PHP error messages provides attackers with crucial system information that can be leveraged for further exploitation attempts. The disclosed paths can reveal directory structures, file locations, and potentially even underlying system configurations that would otherwise remain hidden from external observers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it significantly weakens the security posture of affected systems. When attackers obtain the full server path, they gain valuable reconnaissance information that can be used in conjunction with other exploitation techniques. The exposed paths may reveal directory traversal patterns, file naming conventions, and system layout that could facilitate more sophisticated attacks such as local file inclusion vulnerabilities or directory traversal exploits. Additionally, this information can be used for social engineering attacks or to craft more targeted phishing campaigns against system administrators.
The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental lack of proper error handling within the e107 application, where PHP error messages are displayed directly to end users instead of being logged securely or suppressed for production environments. This practice violates standard security guidelines that recommend disabling error display in production systems and implementing proper logging mechanisms for debugging purposes. The attack vector requires only basic web request capabilities, making it easily exploitable by attackers with minimal technical expertise, and the lack of authentication requirements means that any remote user can attempt to exploit this vulnerability.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper error handling mechanisms within the affected application components. System administrators should ensure that PHP error reporting is disabled in production environments and that all error messages are properly logged rather than displayed to users. The recommended approach includes modifying the application configuration to suppress error messages, implementing custom error handlers that provide generic responses to users while logging detailed errors internally, and conducting thorough code reviews to identify and secure all similar vulnerabilities throughout the application. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and access controls for administrative components would further reduce the attack surface and prevent unauthorized access to sensitive functionality. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring systems to detect and block suspicious requests targeting known vulnerable endpoints.