CVE-2005-0780 in paFileDB
Summary
by MITRE
paFileDB 3.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via a direct request to (1) auth.php, (2) login.php, (3) category.php, (4) file.php, (5) team.php, (6) license.php, (7) custom.php, (8) admins.php, or (9) backupdb.php, which reveal the path in a PHP error message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/10/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-0780 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within paFileDB version 3.1 and earlier installations. This issue stems from the application's improper handling of error conditions, specifically when processing direct requests to several key PHP files within the application's core functionality. The vulnerability manifests when attackers can trigger PHP error messages that inadvertently expose sensitive server path information through direct access to authentication and administrative components.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through direct HTTP requests to specific PHP files including auth.php, login.php, category.php, file.php, team.php, license.php, custom.php, admins.php, and backupdb.php. When these files encounter conditions that result in PHP errors, the error messages contain detailed path information that reveals the physical location of the application on the web server filesystem. This path disclosure represents a fundamental security flaw that violates the principle of least privilege and exposes critical system information to potential attackers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the revealed paths can serve as crucial reconnaissance data for attackers planning more sophisticated attacks. The exposed filesystem paths enable adversaries to understand the application's directory structure, potentially identifying other sensitive files, understanding the server configuration, and planning targeted attacks against specific components. This information disclosure vulnerability aligns with CWE-209, which specifically addresses the improper handling of errors that reveal sensitive information, and can be categorized under the ATT&CK technique T1083 for discovering system information through path traversal and error message analysis.
Security professionals should recognize that this vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation and error handling practices that were common in legacy web applications from that era. The flaw indicates inadequate security measures in place to prevent error messages from revealing system details to unauthorized users, representing a failure in the application's security architecture. Organizations should implement proper error handling mechanisms that sanitize all error outputs and ensure that sensitive information is never exposed through error messages regardless of the request type or parameters provided.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive error handling procedures that prevent path information from being exposed in error messages. The recommended approach includes configuring PHP to suppress detailed error messages in production environments, implementing custom error handlers that provide generic error responses, and ensuring that all application components properly validate inputs to prevent triggering error conditions. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious direct requests to administrative files, and conduct regular security audits to identify similar path disclosure vulnerabilities across all application components. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of secure coding practices and proper error handling as fundamental security controls that should be implemented at every layer of application development and deployment.