CVE-2005-2463 in liveResponse
Summary
by MITRE
Kayako liveResponse 2.x allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via a direct request to addressbook.php and other include scripts, which reveals the path in an error message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/20/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-2463 affects Kayako liveResponse version 2.x, a customer support and ticketing system that was widely deployed in enterprise environments during the mid-2000s. This issue represents a classic information disclosure vulnerability that occurs when the application fails to properly handle error conditions in its web interface. The flaw manifests when remote attackers can directly request specific script files including addressbook.php and other include scripts within the application's directory structure. When these requests are made without proper authentication or input validation, the system responds with detailed error messages that contain sensitive path information from the server's file system. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-200 category of "Information Exposure" and represents a fundamental security misconfiguration that exposes internal system details to unauthorized parties.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires minimal effort from attackers who can simply craft HTTP requests to specific endpoints within the liveResponse application. When the system processes these requests and encounters errors during script execution, it generates error messages that inadvertently reveal the full file path where the application is installed on the web server. This path information typically includes the absolute directory structure and may contain sensitive details such as the server's root directory, application installation paths, and potentially even database connection parameters that are hardcoded in configuration files. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it provides attackers with crucial reconnaissance information that can be used to plan more sophisticated attacks against the system.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for organizations using Kayako liveResponse 2.x systems. The exposed path information can serve as a roadmap for attackers to understand the application's architecture and potentially locate other vulnerable components within the same server environment. Security researchers have noted that such information disclosure vulnerabilities often act as stepping stones for more serious attacks, including directory traversal exploits, local file inclusion vulnerabilities, or even privilege escalation attempts. The vulnerability's impact is further amplified because it affects core application functionality scripts that are essential for the system's operation, meaning that attackers can leverage this information to understand how different parts of the application interact with each other and potentially identify additional attack vectors. This aligns with the ATT&CK framework's information gathering techniques where adversaries collect system information to inform their attack strategies.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2005-2463 involves implementing proper error handling mechanisms within the web application to prevent sensitive information from being exposed in error messages. Organizations should configure their web servers and applications to suppress detailed error messages that reveal file system paths and instead display generic error pages to users. The most effective approach includes modifying the application's error handling routines to ensure that all error responses are sanitized before being sent to clients. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and authentication checks for all script endpoints can prevent unauthorized access to sensitive functionality. Security hardening measures should include configuring the web server to disable directory listing, implementing proper logging of access attempts, and ensuring that error messages are logged securely without exposing system paths. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and security monitoring solutions that can detect and block suspicious direct requests to internal script files. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of following secure coding practices and proper error handling as outlined in industry standards such as the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines, which emphasize that information disclosure vulnerabilities can significantly weaken an organization's overall security posture and should be addressed immediately through proper configuration and code review processes.