CVE-2007-0259 in Ezboxx Portal System
Summary
by MITRE
Ezboxx Portal System Beta 0.7.6 and earlier allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via a invalid cat parameter to boxx/knowledgebase.asp, which reveals the path in an error message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/24/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-0259 affects the Ezboxx Portal System version 0.7.6 and earlier, representing a classic information disclosure flaw that exposes system paths through improper error handling mechanisms. This vulnerability resides within the boxx/knowledgebase.asp component of the web application, where the system fails to properly validate user input parameters before processing them. The specific flaw occurs when an attacker submits an invalid cat parameter to the knowledgebase.asp script, triggering an error message that inadvertently reveals the absolute file path of the vulnerable system.
This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-200 category, which specifically addresses "Information Exposure Through Error Message," and represents a fundamental weakness in input validation and error handling practices. The error message disclosure exposes critical system information that could be leveraged by attackers to gain insights into the underlying server architecture, file system structure, and potentially sensitive directory paths. The exposure of absolute paths in error messages creates a significant information leak that can be exploited for further attacks, including path traversal attempts and system reconnaissance activities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with crucial reconnaissance data that can be used to plan more sophisticated attacks. When an attacker can obtain the system path through error messages, they gain valuable intelligence about the server configuration, which may reveal the operating system type, web server software version, and potentially the location of other sensitive files or directories. This information can significantly reduce the attack surface and make subsequent exploitation attempts more successful, as attackers can now target specific system components or files that they know exist at the revealed paths.
From an attack perspective, this vulnerability aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) and T1068 (Exploitation for Privilege Escalation) as it enables initial reconnaissance activities that can lead to more serious exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates poor secure coding practices where error handling does not adequately sanitize output to prevent information leakage. Organizations using vulnerable versions of Ezboxx Portal System should immediately implement mitigations including input parameter validation, proper error handling that does not reveal system paths, and comprehensive logging of suspicious activities. The recommended approach involves implementing proper input sanitization routines, configuring web server error pages to prevent detailed system information disclosure, and conducting regular security audits to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components.