CVE-2006-7000 in DeskPRO
Summary
by MITRE
Headstart Solutions DeskPRO allows remote attackers to obtain the full path via direct requests to (1) email/mail.php, (2) includes/init.php, (3) certain files in includes/cron/, and (4) jpgraph.php, (5) jpgraph_bar.php, (6) jpgraph_pie.php, and (7) jpgraph_pie3d.php in includes/graph/, which leaks the path in error messages.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/19/2018
This vulnerability in Headstart Solutions DeskPRO represents a classic information disclosure flaw that exposes sensitive system path information to remote attackers. The vulnerability affects multiple script files within the application's directory structure, specifically targeting error handling mechanisms that inadvertently reveal the complete server path during processing. The affected files include core components such as email/mail.php, includes/init.php, various cron job scripts in includes/cron/, and graphing libraries including jpgraph.php, jpgraph_bar.php, and jpgraph_pie.php within the includes/graph/ directory. These files are particularly susceptible because they lack proper error handling or sanitization of error messages, allowing attackers to craft direct requests that trigger error conditions containing the full server path.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through direct HTTP requests to the identified vulnerable files, where the application fails to properly sanitize error output. When these scripts encounter processing errors or invalid input conditions, they generate error messages that contain the complete file system path where the application is installed. This information disclosure represents a significant security risk as it provides attackers with detailed knowledge of the server environment, including directory structures, file locations, and potentially sensitive path information that could be used for further exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-209, which specifically addresses the disclosure of error messages that contain sensitive information, and represents a variant of path disclosure attacks that have been documented across numerous web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the leaked path information can facilitate more sophisticated attack vectors. Attackers can leverage the disclosed paths to understand the application's file structure, potentially identifying other vulnerable components, discovering backup files, or mapping out the server's directory hierarchy. This information can significantly aid in planning subsequent attacks, including local file inclusion vulnerabilities, directory traversal exploits, or targeted attacks against specific system components. The vulnerability particularly affects the application's security posture by reducing the attacker's ability to remain anonymous and by providing crucial reconnaissance data that would otherwise require more time-consuming enumeration techniques.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper error handling mechanisms throughout the application codebase. The primary remediation involves ensuring that all error messages generated by the vulnerable scripts are sanitized to remove any path information before being displayed to users or logged. This approach aligns with ATT&CK technique T1211, which addresses the exploitation of information disclosure vulnerabilities to gather system information. Organizations should implement centralized error handling routines that catch exceptions and display generic error messages to users while logging detailed technical information securely. Additionally, the application should be configured to disable detailed error reporting in production environments and ensure that all file paths are properly abstracted or obfuscated in error outputs. Regular security code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the application, particularly in areas where file operations and system interactions occur. The implementation of web application firewalls and security monitoring systems can also help detect and prevent exploitation attempts targeting these specific vulnerable endpoints.