CVE-2006-1209 in PHP Advanced Transfer Manager
Summary
by MITRE
PHP Advanced Transfer Manager 1.00 through 1.30 stores sensitive information, including password hashes, under the web root with insufficient access control, which allows remote attackers to download each password hash via a direct request for a users/[USERNAME] file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/05/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-1209 affects PHP Advanced Transfer Manager versions 1.00 through 1.30, representing a critical security flaw in web application configuration and access control mechanisms. This issue stems from improper file placement and permission settings within the application's directory structure, creating a path traversal and information disclosure vulnerability that exposes sensitive authentication data to unauthorized parties. The flaw directly violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and proper data isolation, as it places password hash files in web-accessible directories without adequate protection mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the application stores user authentication data, specifically password hashes, in the users/[USERNAME] file structure within the web root directory. This design choice creates a direct attack surface where remote adversaries can construct simple HTTP requests to access these files by knowing the username format. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and demonstrates poor security architecture practices, as it fails to implement proper access controls or authentication checks before serving sensitive files. The flaw can be classified under CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and CWE-264 (Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls) categories, representing a combination of information disclosure and access control weakness.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables attackers to obtain password hashes for all registered users, which significantly weakens the security posture of the affected system. The exposed password hashes can be targeted through offline dictionary attacks, rainbow table attacks, or other cryptanalysis techniques to potentially recover user passwords and gain unauthorized access to accounts. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1566 (Phishing) and T1078 (Valid Accounts) as it enables credential compromise through information disclosure, potentially leading to further lateral movement and persistence within the compromised environment. The impact extends beyond simple credential theft, as these hashes may be used in credential stuffing attacks against other services where users have reused passwords.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve immediate remediation actions including moving sensitive user data files outside the web root directory, implementing proper access control mechanisms, and enforcing authentication checks before serving user-related files. Organizations should implement proper file permission settings to ensure that password hash files are not directly accessible via web requests. The solution requires architectural changes to the application's data storage and retrieval mechanisms, ensuring that sensitive information is stored in secure locations with appropriate access controls. Additionally, regular security audits should be conducted to identify and remediate similar misconfigurations in other applications, as this vulnerability represents a common pattern in web application development where security considerations are overlooked during the implementation phase. The fix should also include implementing proper input validation and access control checks to prevent unauthorized access to user data files, aligning with security best practices outlined in NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001 standards.