CVE-2006-6113 in Monkey Boards
Summary
by MITRE
Monkey Boards 0.3.5 allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via direct requests to (1) include/admin_auth.inc.php and (2) include/engine/class.compiler.php, which reveals the full path in an error message. NOTE: this issue is only an exposure if the administrator has changed the default script path.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/08/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-6113 affects Monkey Boards version 0.3.5, a content management system that suffers from improper error handling mechanisms. This flaw represents a classic information disclosure vulnerability that exposes system internals to remote attackers through carefully crafted requests. The vulnerability specifically impacts two critical include files within the application's architecture: admin_auth.inc.php and class.compiler.php, both of which are essential components in the system's administrative and compilation processes. The flaw manifests when these files encounter error conditions and subsequently output error messages containing the full server path information, creating a significant security risk for systems that have not properly configured their default script paths.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability demonstrates a failure in input validation and error handling practices that directly violates security best practices outlined in the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) Top Ten. The issue stems from the application's inability to sanitize error messages before displaying them to users, allowing attackers to exploit the system's path disclosure mechanism through direct HTTP requests. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires no authentication to exploit, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by any remote attacker. The exposure of full system paths through error messages creates a goldmine of information for threat actors, potentially enabling more sophisticated attacks such as path traversal exploits, privilege escalation attempts, or further reconnaissance activities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with critical system architecture details that can be used to plan more targeted attacks. When administrators modify default script paths, they inadvertently create a scenario where these modified paths become visible in error messages, effectively leaking configuration information that should remain hidden. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-209, which specifically addresses the issue of error messages containing sensitive information, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege and defense in depth. The exposure of the full path structure can aid attackers in understanding the system's file hierarchy, potentially enabling them to identify other vulnerable components or predict the locations of sensitive files. This information disclosure can serve as a precursor to more serious attacks, including directory traversal, remote code execution, or privilege escalation attempts.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper error handling mechanisms that prevent sensitive information from being exposed to end users. Organizations should ensure that error messages are sanitized before display, removing any path information or system-specific details that could aid attackers. The recommended approach involves configuring the application to log detailed error information internally while presenting generic error messages to users. This aligns with the ATT&CK framework's defensive techniques for preventing information disclosure and demonstrates proper security hardening practices. Additionally, administrators should implement proper path configuration management, ensuring that default paths are not modified in ways that expose system internals. Regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components, and application firewalls or intrusion prevention systems can be configured to monitor for and block suspicious request patterns that might exploit such information disclosure flaws.