CVE-2005-0828 in CIAMOS
Summary
by MITRE
highlight.php in (1) RUNCMS 1.1A, (2) CIAMOS 0.9.2 RC1, (3) e-Xoops 1.05 Rev3, and possibly other products based on e-Xoops (exoops), allows remote attackers to read arbitrary PHP files by specifying the pathname in the file parameter, as demonstrated by reading database configuration information from mainfile.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/22/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical arbitrary file inclusion flaw that affects multiple content management systems built on the e-Xoops framework including RUNCMS 1.1A, CIAMOS 0.9.2 RC1, and e-Xoops 1.05 Rev3. The vulnerability resides in the highlight.php script which fails to properly validate user input passed through the file parameter, creating an exploitable path traversal condition that allows remote attackers to access any PHP file on the server filesystem. The flaw specifically enables attackers to bypass normal access controls and retrieve sensitive configuration files such as mainfile.php which typically contains database connection credentials and other critical system information. This represents a classic case of insufficient input validation and improper file access control mechanisms that directly violates security principles outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and CWE-22 which categorizes path traversal vulnerabilities as a fundamental weakness in input validation.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrates a straightforward yet devastating attack pattern where an attacker can construct malicious URLs targeting the highlight.php script with carefully crafted file parameter values. When the application processes these parameters without proper sanitization, it directly includes the specified file path in the execution context, allowing access to any file that the web server process has read permissions for. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure as the exposure of database configuration files provides attackers with credentials to directly access backend databases, potentially leading to full system compromise. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213.002 for Data from Information Repositories and T1566.001 for Phishing, as attackers can use the disclosed information to escalate privileges and conduct further attacks. The weakness stems from the application's failure to implement proper input validation and access control checks, creating a direct path from user-supplied input to file system access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, affecting not only the immediate confidentiality of sensitive data but also potentially enabling complete system compromise. Organizations running affected versions of these CMS platforms face significant risk of unauthorized access to database credentials, application configuration files, and potentially user data stored in backend databases. The vulnerability's presence across multiple products indicates a widespread issue within the e-Xoops ecosystem, suggesting that similar flaws may exist in other components of the framework. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform reconnaissance, escalate privileges, and potentially execute arbitrary code if additional vulnerabilities exist in the application stack. The risk is particularly elevated because the vulnerability does not require authentication and can be exploited remotely, making it a high-priority target for automated exploitation tools and malicious actors.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar issues. Organizations should immediately apply patches or updates provided by the respective software vendors to address the input validation flaw in highlight.php. Additionally, implementing proper input sanitization and validation mechanisms that reject or properly encode user-supplied file paths is essential. The application should enforce strict access controls that prevent file inclusion from arbitrary locations and implement whitelisting of allowed file paths when file operations are necessary. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth by monitoring and blocking suspicious file parameter values. Security configurations should be reviewed to ensure that the web server process has minimal required permissions and that sensitive files are properly protected with appropriate access controls. This vulnerability serves as a prime example of why proper input validation and secure coding practices are fundamental to application security, as outlined in the CWE guidelines for preventing path traversal attacks and the NIST cybersecurity framework for protecting information systems.