CVE-2005-2417 in Contrexx
Summary
by MITRE
Contrexx before 1.0.5 allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via a direct request to /config/version.xml.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/10/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-2417 affects Contrexx content management systems prior to version 1.0.5, representing a significant information disclosure flaw that exposes sensitive system details to remote attackers. This vulnerability resides in the application's configuration handling mechanism where the version.xml file contains critical system information that should not be publicly accessible. The flaw enables unauthorized access to version details, system architecture information, and potentially other sensitive metadata that could aid in subsequent attack vectors. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-200, which specifically addresses information exposure, making it a direct descendant of the broader category of information leakage vulnerabilities that compromise system security posture.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate access controls within the Contrexx application's file serving mechanism. When attackers make direct requests to the /config/version.xml endpoint, they bypass normal authentication and authorization checks that should normally restrict access to configuration files. This represents a classic path traversal or direct object reference vulnerability where the application fails to properly validate access permissions for sensitive configuration resources. The version.xml file typically contains version numbers, build information, and potentially database connection details that provide attackers with crucial intelligence for crafting targeted attacks against the system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it significantly weakens the overall security of affected systems. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability gain intelligence that can be used for fingerprinting the target system, identifying potential exploits for known vulnerabilities in specific Contrexx versions, and planning more sophisticated attack campaigns. The exposed version information may reveal whether the system is running outdated components that are susceptible to additional vulnerabilities, effectively providing threat actors with a roadmap for further compromise. This vulnerability directly impacts the principle of least privilege and can lead to cascading security issues when combined with other weaknesses in the system architecture.
Organizations affected by CVE-2005-2417 should implement immediate mitigations including restricting direct access to configuration files through web server configuration, implementing proper access controls for sensitive endpoints, and ensuring that version information is not exposed through publicly accessible paths. The recommended approach involves configuring web server rules to deny access to .xml files in configuration directories, implementing authentication checks for all system configuration endpoints, and conducting comprehensive security reviews of all file access mechanisms. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls to monitor and block suspicious requests to configuration endpoints, while also ensuring all Contrexx installations are updated to version 1.0.5 or later where this vulnerability has been addressed through proper access control implementation. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213, which covers data from information repositories, and represents a critical gap in the application's security controls that requires immediate remediation.