CVE-2005-1732 in Cookie Cart
Summary
by MITRE
Cookie Cart allows remote attackers to read the Order Notification list via the testmycgi and path parameters to testmy.cgi.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/25/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1732 resides within the Cookie Cart web application, specifically targeting the testmy.cgi script that handles order notification functionality. This issue represents a classic access control flaw that allows unauthenticated remote attackers to bypass normal security restrictions and gain unauthorized access to sensitive order information. The vulnerability manifests through the manipulation of two specific parameters within the testmy.cgi script: testmycgi and path. These parameters are improperly validated and sanitized, creating a path traversal or directory traversal vulnerability that enables attackers to navigate the file system and access order notification lists that should remain protected.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious requests to the testmy.cgi endpoint, passing crafted values through the testmycgi and path parameters to manipulate the script's behavior. This flaw essentially allows the attacker to specify arbitrary file paths or directory locations that the script should process, potentially leading to unauthorized data disclosure. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it directly exposes order notification lists, which typically contain sensitive customer information including order details, customer names, contact information, and potentially payment-related data. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-22 Path Traversal, which encompasses a broad category of vulnerabilities involving improper input validation that allows attackers to access files or directories outside the intended scope.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it represents a fundamental breakdown in the application's security model and access control mechanisms. Attackers can leverage this weakness to gather comprehensive intelligence about customer orders, potentially enabling identity theft, fraud, or targeted phishing campaigns. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors do not require physical access to the system or local network privileges, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous for e-commerce applications where customer data protection is paramount. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques involving T1213 Data from Information Repositories and T1566 Phishing, as the leaked order information could be used to craft more convincing social engineering attacks. The vulnerability also demonstrates poor input validation practices and inadequate privilege separation, which are common indicators of broader security weaknesses within the application architecture.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-1732 should focus on implementing robust input validation and sanitization for all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in file system operations or path resolution. The application should enforce strict access controls and authentication mechanisms to ensure that only authorized personnel can access order notification lists. Additionally, the testmy.cgi script should be redesigned to eliminate the use of user-controllable parameters in file path construction, implementing a whitelist approach for allowed operations instead of relying on parameter-based path resolution. Security measures should include logging and monitoring of suspicious access patterns, regular security assessments, and input validation that prevents directory traversal sequences such as ../ or ..\ from being processed. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of proper security testing and code review processes, particularly for legacy applications that may not have been designed with modern security practices in mind. Regular security updates and patch management procedures should be implemented to address similar vulnerabilities that may exist in other components of the web application stack.