CVE-2006-6350 in listpics
Summary
by MITRE
listpics 5 stores sensitive data under the web root with insufficient access control, which allows remote attackers to download a database via a direct request for listpics.mdb.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-6350 represents a critical misconfiguration issue within the listpics 5 web application that directly violates fundamental security principles of data protection and access control. This vulnerability exists in the application's directory structure where sensitive database files are stored in locations accessible to web users without proper authentication mechanisms. The specific file affected is listpics.mdb, which is a microsoft access database file containing potentially sensitive information about the application's data structures and user information. The flaw stems from the application's failure to implement proper access controls that would normally prevent unauthorized users from accessing files stored in web-accessible directories. According to the common weakness enumeration framework, this vulnerability maps directly to cwe-22 which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal attacks. The issue demonstrates a classic example of insecure direct object reference where the application fails to verify that the requesting user has proper authorization to access the requested resource.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure as it provides attackers with direct access to the entire database content through a straightforward http request. This means that any remote attacker with knowledge of the application's directory structure can bypass authentication mechanisms entirely and download the complete database without requiring valid credentials or privileged access. The database contains sensitive information that could include user accounts, personal data, application configuration details, and potentially other system information that could be leveraged for further attacks. This vulnerability aligns with the attack technique described in the attack tree framework under the category of credential access and data exposure. The implications are particularly severe because the database file can be downloaded in its entirety, potentially exposing not just the current data but also historical information that may contain sensitive user details, application logs, or other confidential information.
The remediation of this vulnerability requires immediate implementation of proper access controls and directory structure reconfiguration to ensure that sensitive database files are stored outside of web-accessible directories. Security best practices dictate that all sensitive data should be stored in protected server directories that are not directly accessible through web requests. Organizations should implement proper authentication and authorization mechanisms that verify user privileges before granting access to any database resources. This vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and conducting regular security assessments to identify and remediate such misconfigurations. The fix involves moving the database file to a location that is not accessible through the web server root directory and implementing proper access control checks that validate user permissions before any database access is granted. Additionally, regular security audits should be conducted to ensure that no sensitive files are inadvertently placed in web-accessible locations, as this type of vulnerability can be exploited to gain unauthorized access to critical system information and potentially lead to more sophisticated attacks including privilege escalation or data exfiltration operations.