CVE-2007-0928 in Virtual Calendar
Summary
by MITRE
Virtual Calendar stores sensitive information under the web root with insufficient access control, which allows remote attackers to download an encoded password via a direct request for pwd.txt.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/09/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-0928 represents a critical misconfiguration in the Virtual Calendar application that exposes sensitive authentication data to unauthorized parties. This issue stems from improper file placement and access control mechanisms within the web application's directory structure, creating a pathway for remote attackers to directly access confidential information without authentication. The vulnerability specifically targets the storage of password information in a location that is publicly accessible through the web root directory, fundamentally undermining the security posture of the application.
The technical flaw manifests through the insecure placement of the pwd.txt file within the web server's document root directory. This configuration violates fundamental security principles by making sensitive authentication data accessible through simple HTTP requests. When an attacker constructs a direct request for pwd.txt, the web server responds with the encoded password file, effectively bypassing all authentication mechanisms that should normally protect such sensitive information. This represents a classic case of insufficient access control where the application fails to implement proper authorization checks before serving sensitive files.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with the means to gain unauthorized access to the calendar application and potentially escalate privileges within the system. The encoded password, while not immediately usable, serves as a foothold for further attacks and can be combined with other exploitation techniques to achieve complete system compromise. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and demonstrates poor security hygiene in application deployment and configuration management practices.
The weakness aligns with CWE-22, which addresses improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, and CWE-264, which covers permissions, privileges, and access controls. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for phishing, as attackers can leverage the exposed credentials to maintain persistent access to the system. Organizations should implement proper file access controls, move sensitive files outside the web root, and implement robust authentication mechanisms to prevent such exposure. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of secure configuration management and the necessity of conducting regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar misconfigurations that could provide attackers with unauthorized access to sensitive system resources.