CVE-2007-5128 in SimpNews
Summary
by MITRE
SimpNews 2.41.03 on Windows, when PHP before 5.0.0 is used, allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via an certain link_date parameter to events.php, which reveals the path in an error message due to an unsupported argument type for the mktime function on Windows.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/21/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-5128 affects SimpNews version 2.41.03 running on Windows systems with PHP versions prior to 5.0.0. This represents a classic information disclosure flaw that occurs when the application fails to properly validate user input parameters. The specific vulnerability manifests through the events.php script which processes a link_date parameter, creating an attack surface where malicious actors can exploit improper error handling mechanisms. The issue stems from the application's inability to sanitize or validate the input before passing it to the mktime function, which on Windows platforms produces verbose error messages containing system path information.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability relies on the specific behavior of PHP's mktime function when it encounters unsupported argument types on Windows operating systems. When an attacker supplies a malformed link_date parameter to events.php, the application processes this input without proper validation, causing the mktime function to fail and generate error messages that inadvertently expose the server's file system paths. This error message disclosure represents a fundamental flaw in input validation and error handling practices, where the application reveals internal system information that should remain confidential. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the core of the application's parameter processing mechanism, making it accessible through standard web requests without requiring any special privileges or authentication.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the revealed paths can provide attackers with critical reconnaissance data for subsequent attacks. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can obtain the full server path where SimpNews is installed, which may include directory structures, file locations, and potentially sensitive configuration information. This information can be leveraged for further exploitation attempts including directory traversal attacks, file inclusion vulnerabilities, or other path-based attacks that rely on knowledge of the target system's file structure. The vulnerability affects systems where PHP versions before 5.0.0 are deployed, which represents a significant portion of legacy web environments that may not have been updated due to compatibility concerns or lack of maintenance.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which describes information exposure, and represents a common pattern of improper error handling that violates the principle of least privilege. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a reconnaissance technique under the information gathering phase, where attackers collect system information to plan more sophisticated attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates poor secure coding practices where error messages are not sanitized before being displayed to users, creating an information leak that can be exploited to map the application's architecture. Organizations affected by this vulnerability should consider implementing proper input validation, error handling, and logging mechanisms to prevent such disclosures. The recommended mitigations include upgrading to PHP 5.0.0 or later versions where this behavior is corrected, implementing proper parameter validation, and ensuring that error messages do not contain sensitive system information. Additionally, web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can be configured to monitor for patterns associated with this type of information disclosure attack, providing an additional layer of defense against exploitation attempts.