CVE-2007-4157 in PHP-Blogger
Summary
by MITRE
PHPBlogger stores sensitive information under the web root with insufficient access control, which allows remote attackers to download a database containing an admin password hash via a direct request for data/pref.db. NOTE: this can be easily leveraged for administrative access because composing the authentication cookie only requires the password hash, not the cleartext version.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/17/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-4157 represents a critical security flaw in the PHPBlogger content management system that stems from improper access control mechanisms and insecure data storage practices. This vulnerability resides in the application's handling of sensitive information within its directory structure, specifically exposing database files containing administrative credentials directly accessible through web requests. The flaw allows remote attackers to bypass normal authentication procedures by directly accessing the data/pref.db file through a simple HTTP request, which contains a database with administrative password hashes. This represents a fundamental failure in the application's security architecture where sensitive data is stored with inadequate access restrictions, making it trivial for attackers to obtain administrative credentials without needing to exploit additional vulnerabilities.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic case of insecure direct object reference, where the application fails to validate access permissions before serving sensitive files. The PHPBlogger application stores its configuration and user database files in a location that is directly accessible through the web root, meaning that any user with knowledge of the file path can request it directly. The exposed database contains password hashes that are sufficient for authentication purposes, as the system allows authentication using the hash value rather than requiring the original cleartext password. This design flaw aligns with CWE-284 which specifically addresses improper access control and CWE-312 which covers exposure of sensitive information. The vulnerability essentially provides attackers with a complete administrative account compromise without requiring any complex exploitation techniques or additional attack vectors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching, as it provides attackers with immediate administrative access to the affected PHPBlogger installations. Once an attacker obtains the password hash from the exposed database file, they can authenticate as an administrator and gain complete control over the web application and its hosted content. This includes the ability to modify or delete content, add or remove users, change configuration settings, and potentially use the compromised system as a launching point for further attacks within the network. The vulnerability can be exploited by anyone with access to the web application, making it particularly dangerous as it does not require any specialized tools or knowledge beyond basic web browsing capabilities. The ease of exploitation means that this vulnerability could be automatically detected and exploited by automated scanning tools, significantly increasing the risk to affected systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address the fundamental architectural issues that allow the exposure of sensitive data. The primary recommendation involves implementing proper access controls that prevent direct access to sensitive database files through the web root. This includes moving database files outside of the web accessible directories and ensuring that proper authentication checks are implemented before any sensitive data is served. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block direct requests for database files, and employ regular security audits to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications. The remediation process should include immediate file reorganization to separate sensitive data from web-accessible locations, implementation of proper file permissions, and potentially the deployment of additional authentication layers. This vulnerability serves as a clear example of why security by design principles are essential, and why applications must be built with proper access control mechanisms from the initial development phase rather than addressing these issues as afterthoughts. The flaw also highlights the importance of following security best practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks to prevent such critical access control failures.