CVE-2005-4214 in phpCOIN
Summary
by MITRE
phpCOIN 1.2.2 allows remote attackers to obtain the installation path via a direct request to config.php, which leaks the path in an error message because the _CCFG[ _PKG_PATH_DBSE ] variable is not defined.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/14/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-4214 affects phpCOIN version 1.2.2, a content management system that suffered from improper error handling mechanisms. This flaw represents a classic information disclosure vulnerability where the application fails to properly validate or sanitize input parameters before processing them, resulting in the exposure of sensitive system information. The vulnerability specifically manifests when an attacker directly requests the config.php file, which triggers an error condition that inadvertently reveals the system installation path through error messages generated by the application.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly initialize the _CCFG[ _PKG_PATH_DBSE ] variable within the configuration handling logic. This variable represents a critical configuration parameter that should contain the database connection path information, but when it remains undefined, the application's error handling routine generates descriptive error messages that include the absolute file path where the application is installed. The lack of proper input validation and error handling creates a scenario where an attacker can directly exploit this weakness by making a specific HTTP request to the config.php endpoint, thereby bypassing normal application flow and accessing privileged information.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to system security as it provides attackers with crucial information about the target system's file structure and installation location. The leaked installation path can serve as a foundation for further attacks, including directory traversal attempts, path-based exploitation techniques, and social engineering efforts that leverage the exposed system information. This type of information disclosure vulnerability aligns with CWE-209, which specifically addresses improper error handling that reveals internal system information. The vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1212, which focuses on data manipulation through error handling and information leakage, demonstrating how seemingly minor implementation flaws can create substantial security risks.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it enables attackers to craft more sophisticated attacks against the target system. Once the installation path is known, threat actors can potentially exploit other weaknesses in the application's architecture by understanding the file system layout and relative paths used by phpCOIN. The vulnerability demonstrates poor secure coding practices, particularly in the areas of input validation and error handling, which are fundamental requirements for maintaining application security. Organizations using affected versions of phpCOIN should immediately implement mitigations including proper input validation, error handling that does not expose system paths, and application hardening measures that prevent direct access to configuration files. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of implementing proper logging and monitoring to detect such attempts to exploit information disclosure weaknesses in web applications.