CVE-2007-5129 in SimpGB
Summary
by MITRE
SimpGB 1.46.02 stores sensitive information under the web root with insufficient access control, which allows remote attackers to (1) obtain sensitive configuration information via a direct request for admin/cfginfo.php; and (2) download arbitrary .inc files via a direct request, as demonstrated by admin/includes/dbtables.inc.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/29/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-5129 affects SimpGB version 1.46.02 and represents a critical misconfiguration issue that exposes sensitive system components to unauthorized access. This flaw resides in the application's improper handling of file permissions and access controls within its web directory structure, creating a pathway for remote attackers to extract confidential information and potentially execute malicious operations. The vulnerability specifically targets the web root directory where the application stores critical configuration files and include libraries that should normally be protected from direct web access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to enforce proper access control mechanisms for sensitive files located within the web accessible directory. Attackers can directly request specific files such as admin/cfginfo.php to obtain sensitive configuration data or access admin/includes/dbtables.inc to download arbitrary .inc files. This represents a classic case of insufficient access control where files that should be restricted to authorized administrative users are accessible through standard web requests without proper authentication or authorization checks. The flaw essentially allows attackers to bypass normal application security controls by directly accessing files that contain database connection strings, administrative credentials, and other sensitive configuration parameters.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides attackers with comprehensive access to the application's backend configuration and database connection details. When an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they gain access to database credentials, which could enable them to directly connect to and manipulate the underlying database system. This access could lead to data theft, data modification, or complete database compromise. The ability to download arbitrary .inc files also provides attackers with additional attack vectors, as these files might contain application logic that could be exploited further or used to understand the application architecture for more sophisticated attacks.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-264, which describes permissions, privileges, and access control issues, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege. The flaw also maps to several ATT&CK tactics including credential access and defense evasion, as attackers can harvest credentials from the exposed configuration files and potentially use them to maintain persistent access. The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental lack of proper input validation and access control enforcement within the application's file access mechanisms, making it particularly dangerous as it provides a direct pathway to sensitive system components without requiring complex exploitation techniques.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including restricting file access permissions for sensitive directories, implementing proper access control lists for web-accessible files, and ensuring that administrative configuration files are not stored in web-accessible locations. The recommended approach involves moving sensitive configuration files outside the web root directory and implementing proper authentication checks before allowing access to administrative functions. Additionally, web server configurations should be reviewed to ensure that .inc files and other sensitive components cannot be accessed directly through HTTP requests. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar misconfigurations in other applications and systems.