CVE-2006-4653 in Amazing Little Poll
Summary
by MITRE
(1) Amazing Little Poll and (2) Amazing Little Picture Poll store sensitive information under the web root with insufficient access control, which allows remote attackers to read the admin password via a direct request for the lp_settings file (lp_settings.inc or lp_settings.php).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/22/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-4653 represents a critical security flaw in two web applications known as Amazing Little Poll and Amazing Little Picture Poll. These applications are designed to facilitate polling functionality on websites, but they suffer from a fundamental misconfiguration that exposes sensitive administrative credentials to unauthorized users. The flaw stems from the improper placement of critical configuration files within the web root directory structure, creating an accessible attack surface that violates basic security principles of information hiding and access control.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the storage of administrative passwords and configuration settings in files named lp_settings.inc or lp_settings.php, which are placed in directories accessible through standard web requests. This misconfiguration allows remote attackers to directly access these files by constructing specific URL requests that target the vulnerable files. The absence of proper access controls means that any user with network connectivity to the web server can retrieve the administrative credentials without authentication, effectively providing complete control over the affected applications. This issue directly corresponds to CWE-275 permissions and access control, specifically the weakness of inadequate access control mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple credential theft, as it provides attackers with complete administrative access to the polling applications. Once an attacker obtains the administrative password, they can modify poll settings, delete existing polls, add malicious content, and potentially use the compromised system as a launch point for further attacks against the broader network infrastructure. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not need physical access to the server or any local privileges, making it particularly dangerous in web environments where applications are exposed to the internet. This weakness also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 credential access, specifically targeting legitimate credentials to maintain persistent access to target systems.
The root cause of this vulnerability lies in poor software development practices and inadequate security configuration management. Applications should never store sensitive information in web-accessible directories without proper authentication mechanisms, and configuration files containing administrative credentials should be placed outside the web root or protected by robust access controls. The flaw demonstrates a failure to implement the principle of least privilege, where sensitive administrative data is unnecessarily exposed to all users of the web application. Organizations should implement regular security assessments and code reviews to identify such misconfigurations, and should follow security frameworks such as the OWASP Top Ten to prevent similar issues in web application development and deployment.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediately moving sensitive configuration files outside the web root directory and implementing proper access controls for all application files. Administrators should also ensure that all web applications are configured with appropriate permissions and that sensitive data is stored in secure locations with restricted access. The implementation of web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can help monitor for attempts to access sensitive files, while regular security audits should verify that no sensitive information is stored in accessible locations. Additionally, application developers should follow secure coding practices that prevent the exposure of administrative credentials and configuration data through web-accessible paths, ensuring that any sensitive information is properly secured through authentication and authorization mechanisms.