CVE-2005-2609 in VegaDNS
Summary
by MITRE
index.php in VegaDNS 0.8.1, 0.9.8, and possibly other versions, allows remote attackers to obtain the full server path via an invalid VDNS_Sessid parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/10/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-2609 represents a critical path disclosure issue affecting VegaDNS versions 0.8.1, 0.9.8, and potentially other releases. This flaw resides within the index.php script of the VegaDNS application, which is a web-based domain name system management tool designed to provide DNS services through a graphical interface. The vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation and error handling mechanisms within the application's session management system, specifically when processing the VDNS_Sessid parameter.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the VDNS_Sessid parameter in HTTP requests sent to the index.php endpoint. When an attacker submits an invalid or malformed VDNS_Sessid value, the application fails to properly sanitize this input before processing it within the session handling logic. This inadequate validation allows the application to inadvertently reveal the full server filesystem path in error messages or debug output generated during the failed session validation process. The vulnerability essentially represents a classic path traversal and information disclosure flaw that can be leveraged by remote attackers to gain knowledge about the underlying server infrastructure.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security risks for organizations utilizing affected VegaDNS versions. The disclosure of the full server path provides attackers with critical information about the application's deployment environment, including directory structures, file locations, and potentially sensitive path information that could aid in subsequent exploitation attempts. This information disclosure can serve as a foundation for more sophisticated attacks such as local file inclusion vulnerabilities, directory traversal attacks, or privilege escalation attempts. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers can exploit it without requiring physical access to the server or prior authentication, making it particularly dangerous in production environments.
The vulnerability maps to CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation) within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, highlighting the dual nature of the flaw involving both input validation failures and information exposure. From the MITRE ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) and T1213 (Data from Information Repositories) tactics, as it enables adversaries to discover system information and potentially access sensitive data repositories. The vulnerability also relates to T1566 (Phishing with Social Engineering) in the context of how the information disclosure can be used to craft more convincing social engineering attacks against system administrators.
Organizations using affected VegaDNS versions should immediately implement mitigations including input validation for all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in session management. The most effective immediate fix involves modifying the index.php script to properly validate and sanitize the VDNS_Sessid parameter before processing, ensuring that any invalid input results in generic error messages rather than revealing system path information. Additionally, implementing proper error handling that prevents path disclosure in error messages, configuring web server logging to monitor for suspicious parameter patterns, and applying the latest security patches from the vendor should be prioritized. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can also provide additional defense-in-depth measures to detect and block exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability.