CVE-2006-6866 in EasyNews
Summary
by MITRE
STphp EasyNews PRO 4.0 stores sensitive information under the web root with insufficient access control, which allows remote attackers to obtain usernames, email addresses, and password hashes via a direct request for data/users.txt.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/14/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-6866 represents a critical misconfiguration flaw in STphp EasyNews PRO 4.0 that fundamentally compromises the security posture of affected systems. This issue stems from improper access control mechanisms that allow unauthorized remote access to sensitive data stored within the web root directory. The vulnerability specifically affects the application's handling of user credentials and personal information, creating an exploitable condition that directly violates fundamental security principles of data protection and access control.
The technical flaw manifests through the application's failure to implement proper authorization checks when serving sensitive files. The data/users.txt file containing usernames, email addresses, and password hashes is stored in a location accessible via direct web requests, bypassing any intended access controls or authentication mechanisms. This represents a classic case of insecure direct object reference vulnerability where the application exposes internal data structures through predictable file paths without proper access validation. The flaw operates at the application layer and demonstrates poor security design practices that align with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control issues in software systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching for organizations using the affected software. Remote attackers can immediately obtain comprehensive user credential information without requiring any authentication or privileged access. The exposure of password hashes particularly undermines the security of the entire user base, as these hashes can be subjected to offline dictionary attacks, brute force attempts, or rainbow table lookups to recover plaintext passwords. The stolen information includes not only login credentials but also personal contact details that can be used for social engineering attacks, phishing campaigns, or identity theft operations. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers legitimate credentials usage and T1566 which covers credential harvesting through various attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The most critical immediate action involves moving sensitive data files outside the web root directory and implementing proper access controls using server-side configuration or application-level authorization checks. Organizations should enforce strict file permission settings that prevent direct web access to sensitive files while ensuring that legitimate application functionality remains intact. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and access control mechanisms throughout the application can prevent similar issues from occurring in other components. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following security best practices such as the principle of least privilege, proper data segregation, and regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar misconfigurations in web applications.