CVE-2005-0790 in phpAdsNew
Summary
by MITRE
phpAdsNew 2.0.4 allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via a direct request to (1) lib-xmlrpcs.inc.php, (2) maintenance-activation.php, (3) maintenance-cleantables.php, (4) maintenance-autotargeting.php, (5) maintenance-reports.php, (6) phpads.php, (7) remotehtmlview.php, (8) click.php, (9) adcontent.php, which reveal the path in a PHP error message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/06/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0790 affects phpAdsNew version 2.0.4 and represents a classic information disclosure flaw that exposes sensitive system details to remote attackers. This vulnerability manifests through multiple script files within the phpAdsNew application ecosystem, specifically targeting files including lib-xmlrpcs.inc.php, maintenance-activation.php, maintenance-cleantables.php, maintenance-autotargeting.php, maintenance-reports.php, phpads.php, remotehtmlview.php, click.php, and adcontent.php. The core issue lies in the application's improper error handling mechanisms that fail to sanitize error messages before displaying them to users, thereby revealing critical system path information that could be exploited by malicious actors.
This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-209, which describes the improper handling of error messages that can lead to information disclosure. The flaw constitutes a significant security risk as it provides attackers with directory paths, file locations, and potentially other system details that could be leveraged for further exploitation. The exposure of these paths creates a foundation for more sophisticated attacks including directory traversal attempts, file inclusion vulnerabilities, and other path-based exploits that attackers often use to map the target system's structure. The vulnerability affects the application's security posture by reducing the attacker's required reconnaissance effort and providing them with valuable intelligence about the underlying system architecture.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it significantly weakens the overall security framework of the affected phpAdsNew installation. When attackers can obtain system paths through error messages, they gain crucial insights that enable them to craft more targeted attacks against the application. The exposed paths may reveal the exact directory structure, which can be used to identify potential weaknesses in file permissions, locate sensitive configuration files, or determine the existence of other system components that could be exploited. This information disclosure creates a pathway for attackers to escalate their privileges or execute additional attacks that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to mount without this intelligence.
Security professionals should implement multiple layers of mitigation to address this vulnerability effectively. The primary remediation involves configuring the web application to suppress detailed error messages and instead display generic error pages to users. This approach aligns with the principle of least privilege and defense in depth strategies outlined in various cybersecurity frameworks. Additionally, implementing proper error handling mechanisms within the application code ensures that PHP errors are logged securely rather than displayed to end users. The mitigation strategy should include configuring php.ini settings to disable error display in production environments while maintaining detailed logging for administrative purposes. Regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the application stack. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious requests that may attempt to trigger these error conditions, thereby providing an additional protective barrier against exploitation attempts.