CVE-2006-6829 in Efkan Forum
Summary
by MITRE
Efkan Forum 1.0 and earlier store sensitive information under the web root with insufficient access control, which allows remote attackers to download a database via a direct request for forum.mdb. NOTE: The provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained solely from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/01/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-6829 represents a critical security flaw in Efkan Forum version 1.0 and earlier installations where sensitive database files are improperly stored within the web root directory. This configuration creates a fundamental access control failure that exposes the underlying database to unauthorized remote access. The specific file affected is forum.mdb which contains critical application data including user credentials, forum posts, and potentially other sensitive information that should never be directly accessible via web requests.
This vulnerability stems from inadequate security controls and improper file system permissions that allow any remote attacker to directly request the database file through a simple HTTP GET request. The flaw demonstrates a classic case of insufficient access control mechanisms where the application fails to implement proper authentication and authorization checks before serving sensitive files. The web server configuration appears to lack proper restrictions on file access, allowing direct file retrieval without verifying user credentials or session validity. This type of vulnerability is categorized under CWE-276, which deals with inadequate privileges and access controls, and specifically relates to CWE-275, which addresses insufficient access control.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching for any organization using affected versions of Efkan Forum. Remote attackers can immediately download the entire database file without requiring any authentication or authorization, potentially gaining access to thousands of user accounts, personal information, forum content, and other sensitive data. The exposure of database files in this manner creates an immediate risk of data breaches, identity theft, and potential compromise of user credentials that could be used for further attacks. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213.002, which covers data from information repositories, and represents a clear path for initial access and data exfiltration.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security hardening. Organizations should immediately move the database files outside of the web root directory and implement proper access controls using web server configuration files or application-level controls. The database file should be protected with appropriate file permissions and access restrictions that prevent direct web access. Additionally, implementing proper authentication checks before any database access attempts should be enforced. Security controls should include regular security audits of file permissions, web server configuration reviews, and implementation of web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious direct file access attempts. The remediation process must also include updating to a patched version of Efkan Forum if available, as this represents a fundamental architectural flaw that requires proper software updates to resolve completely.