CVE-2004-2448 in RediCart
Summary
by MITRE
S-Mart Shopping Cart or RediCart 3.9.5b stores smart.cfg under the web document root with insufficient access control, which allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information such as the database name.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/29/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-2448 affects S-Mart Shopping Cart and RediCart e-commerce platforms version 3.9.5b, presenting a critical security flaw related to improper access control mechanisms. This weakness stems from the insecure placement of the smart.cfg configuration file within the web document root directory structure, creating an exploitable condition that compromises sensitive system information. The configuration file contains database credentials and other critical system parameters that should remain protected from unauthorized access. This flaw represents a fundamental failure in the application's security architecture, where sensitive data is exposed through inadequate file permissions and directory access controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the principle of least privilege violation, where configuration files containing sensitive information are unnecessarily accessible through the web server's document root. The smart.cfg file typically contains database connection strings, administrative credentials, and other system parameters that provide attackers with critical information needed for further exploitation. This misconfiguration allows remote attackers to directly access the file through standard web requests, bypassing normal authentication and authorization mechanisms. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-275 permissions issues and represents a classic case of insecure direct object references, where the application exposes internal system files through predictable paths. The flaw demonstrates poor secure coding practices and inadequate security hardening of web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with the foundational information required for more sophisticated attacks. Once the database name and connection details are obtained, attackers can potentially perform database enumeration, attempt brute force attacks against database credentials, or exploit additional vulnerabilities in the database layer. This information disclosure creates a pathway for privilege escalation attacks and can facilitate more comprehensive system compromise. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality aspect of the CIA triad, as it enables unauthorized information access that can lead to complete system compromise. Attackers can leverage this initial foothold to gain deeper insights into the application's architecture and potentially move laterally within the network infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar issues. The primary fix involves removing or relocating the smart.cfg file outside the web document root and implementing proper access controls using web server configuration directives such as apache's AllowOverride or nginx's location blocks. Administrators should also implement file permission controls to ensure only authorized system processes can access sensitive configuration files. The solution aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through credential access and T1083 for discovery of system information. Regular security audits should verify that sensitive files are not exposed through web-accessible directories, and automated scanning tools should be deployed to detect similar misconfigurations across the entire application infrastructure. Additionally, implementing proper logging and monitoring of access attempts to sensitive files can help detect exploitation attempts and provide forensic evidence for security investigations.