CVE-2005-1616 in Ultimate PHP Board
Summary
by MITRE
viewforum.php in Ultimate PHP Board (UPB) 1.8 through 1.9.6 allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via an invalid (1) id or possibly (2) postorder parameter, which reveals the path in an error message when a file can not be opened.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/20/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1616 affects the Ultimate PHP Board (UPB) version 1.8 through 1.9.6, specifically within the viewforum.php script. This represents a classic information disclosure flaw that occurs when the application fails to properly validate user input parameters. The vulnerability manifests when attackers provide invalid values for either the id or postorder parameters, causing the application to generate error messages that inadvertently reveal sensitive system information including file paths. Such path disclosure vulnerabilities fall under CWE-209, which specifically addresses information exposure through error messages, and represent a fundamental weakness in the application's error handling mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through parameter manipulation targeting the viewforum.php endpoint. When an attacker submits malformed input for the id or postorder parameters, the application's insufficient input validation leads to file system operations that fail, resulting in error messages containing the absolute file path of the affected script or related files. This path information can be leveraged by attackers to understand the application's directory structure, potentially aiding in further exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates poor security practices in error message generation and input sanitization, which aligns with ATT&CK technique T1211 for "Exploitation for Defense Evasion" and T1083 for "File and Directory Discovery" as attackers can use the disclosed information to map the target system's file structure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the leaked file paths can provide attackers with crucial reconnaissance data for subsequent attacks. The disclosed paths may reveal the application's installation directory structure, which could help attackers identify other potential vulnerabilities or plan more sophisticated attacks against the system. This type of vulnerability can be particularly dangerous in environments where multiple applications share the same server, as attackers might use the path information to locate and exploit other applications on the same host. The vulnerability affects a range of UPB versions, indicating a persistent flaw in the application's codebase that was not properly addressed through the affected versions.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and error handling practices. The application should validate all user-supplied input parameters against expected value ranges and types, rejecting invalid inputs gracefully without exposing system information. Error handling should be designed to provide generic error messages to end users while logging detailed technical information for administrators in secure locations. This approach aligns with security best practices outlined in OWASP Top Ten and follows the principle of least privilege in error message generation. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and input sanitization routines can prevent attackers from manipulating the id and postorder parameters to trigger the vulnerable code paths. The affected UPB versions should be immediately updated to patched releases that address this vulnerability, as the information disclosure can serve as a foundation for more serious attacks including local file inclusion or directory traversal exploits that may be possible with the additional reconnaissance data.