CVE-2006-5248 in Eazy Cart
Summary
by MITRE
Eazy Cart stores sensitive information under the web root with insufficient access control, which allows remote attackers to download a customer database via a direct request for admin/config/customer.dat. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/24/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical misconfiguration issue in the Eazy Cart web application that exposes sensitive customer data due to inadequate access controls. The flaw exists in how the application handles file permissions and directory access, allowing unauthorized remote attackers to directly access administrative configuration files through simple HTTP requests. The specific file targeted is admin/config/customer.dat which contains customer database information, making this a severe data exposure vulnerability that could lead to identity theft, financial fraud, and compliance violations. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to implement proper authentication and authorization checks before serving sensitive files, creating an attack surface that directly contradicts fundamental web security principles.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic path traversal and access control bypass issue that falls under CWE-22 Path Traversal and CWE-285 Improper Authorization. Attackers can exploit this by simply crafting a direct HTTP request to the specific file path admin/config/customer.dat without requiring any valid credentials or session tokens. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires no complex exploitation techniques and can be automated through simple web scraping tools or automated scanners. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be classified under the MITRE ATT&CK framework as T1213 Data from Information Repositories, specifically targeting the persistence and credential access phases of an attack lifecycle. The flaw indicates poor security design where the application's file structure does not properly separate public web content from protected administrative data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond immediate data theft to encompass long-term security implications for organizations using the affected software. Customer databases typically contain personally identifiable information, credit card details, and other sensitive data that violates privacy regulations such as gdpr, pci dss, and hipaa. The exposure of customer records can result in significant financial penalties, legal action, and reputational damage that may persist long after the initial breach. Organizations may face regulatory fines ranging from thousands to millions of dollars depending on the jurisdiction and the volume of exposed data. The vulnerability also undermines trust in the affected organization's ability to protect customer information, potentially leading to loss of business and customer confidence that can take years to rebuild.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper access controls and file permission management across the application infrastructure. Organizations should implement robust authentication mechanisms that require valid user credentials before allowing access to administrative files, and establish proper directory permissions that prevent direct access to sensitive configuration files. The application should be configured to use secure file storage locations outside of the web root directory, ensuring that administrative files cannot be accessed through standard web requests. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems should be deployed to monitor and block suspicious requests targeting known vulnerable paths. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar misconfigurations, while implementing automated monitoring solutions that can detect unauthorized access attempts to sensitive data files. Additionally, organizations should establish proper incident response procedures and maintain up-to-date vulnerability management processes to quickly address similar security flaws when discovered.