CVE-2007-4261 in Ez Photo Sales
Summary
by MITRE
EZPhotoSales 1.9.3 and earlier stores sensitive information under the web root with insufficient access control, which allows remote attackers to download (1) a file containing cleartext passwords via a direct request for OnlineViewing/data/galleries.txt, or (2) a file containing username hashes and password hashes via a direct request for OnlineViewing/configuration/config.dat/. NOTE: vector 2 can be leveraged for administrative access because authentication does not require knowledge of cleartext values, but instead uses the username hash in the ConfigLogin parameter and the password hash in the ConfigPassword parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/24/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-4261 affects EZPhotoSales versions 1.9.3 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw in web application configuration and access control mechanisms. This issue stems from improper handling of sensitive data within the application's directory structure, where critical authentication information is stored in locations accessible to unauthenticated remote attackers. The vulnerability exists due to inadequate access control policies that fail to properly restrict access to files containing authentication credentials, creating a significant exposure that can be exploited without requiring prior authentication or privileged access to the system.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves direct HTTP requests to specific paths within the web application's directory structure. Attackers can access the file OnlineViewing/data/galleries.txt which contains cleartext passwords, allowing them to obtain user credentials in an easily readable format. Additionally, the vulnerability permits access to OnlineViewing/configuration/config.dat/ which contains both username hashes and password hashes, providing attackers with comprehensive authentication data. This represents a classic case of insecure storage of sensitive information, where authentication credentials are stored in plain text or easily reversible formats rather than properly hashed and salted values.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as the second vector specifically enables administrative access to the system. The configuration file uses hash-based authentication mechanisms where the ConfigLogin parameter accepts username hashes and ConfigPassword parameter accepts password hashes, eliminating the need for attackers to know actual password values. This design flaw allows attackers to bypass traditional authentication mechanisms entirely, potentially gaining full administrative control over the photo sales system. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) and CWE-287 (Improper Authentication) categories, demonstrating multiple security weaknesses in the application's authentication and data storage implementations.
This vulnerability exposes the application to various attack vectors that align with several ATT&CK techniques including T1566 (Phishing), T1078 (Valid Accounts), and T1528 (Steal Application Access Token). The ability to obtain cleartext passwords and hash values provides attackers with multiple pathways for persistence and privilege escalation. Organizations running affected versions of EZPhotoSales face significant risk of unauthorized access, data breaches, and potential system compromise. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper access control implementation and secure credential storage practices, as it allows attackers to gain unauthorized access to administrative functions without requiring legitimate credentials or authentication.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate remediation through patching or upgrading to versions that address the access control vulnerabilities. The web application configuration must be reviewed to ensure sensitive files are stored outside the web root directory or properly protected through authentication mechanisms. Additionally, all stored credentials should be immediately rehashed using strong cryptographic hashing algorithms with proper salt values, and the system should implement proper access controls that restrict direct file access based on user permissions. Network segmentation and monitoring should be implemented to detect and prevent unauthorized access attempts to sensitive configuration files, while regular security audits should verify that no sensitive information is stored in accessible locations within the web application structure.