CVE-2007-6502 in Hosting Controller
Summary
by MITRE
Hosting Controller 6.1 Hot fix 3.3 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive information via (1) the AdminName and AdminLevel parameters to fp2000/NEWSRVR.asp, which discloses usernames; and (2) certain XML HTTP requests to hosting/css.asp using Microsoft.XMLHTTP or MSXML2.XMLHTTP objects, which trigger a response with the setup directory pathname in the HTML source; and (3) might allow remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via a request for /admin/forum/, which reveals the path in an error message when a forum is not found.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/13/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-6502 affects Hosting Controller 6.1 Hot fix 3.3 and earlier versions, representing a significant information disclosure weakness that exposes sensitive system details to authenticated and potentially unauthenticated attackers. This vulnerability resides within the web application's handling of specific HTTP requests and demonstrates poor input validation and output sanitization practices that allow attackers to extract valuable system information. The flaw operates across multiple attack vectors, making it particularly dangerous as it provides different pathways for information gathering that can be exploited by adversaries with varying levels of access privileges.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves three distinct attack vectors that collectively enable information disclosure. The first vector targets the fp2000/NEWSRVR.asp endpoint where the AdminName and AdminLevel parameters can be manipulated to reveal usernames within the system. This represents a classic case of insecure direct object reference where parameters are not properly validated, allowing unauthorized disclosure of administrative user accounts. The second vector exploits XML HTTP requests sent to hosting/css.asp using Microsoft.XMLHTTP or MSXML2.XMLHTTP objects, which causes the web application to include the setup directory pathname in the HTML response source code. This type of information disclosure directly violates the principle of least privilege and provides attackers with critical path information that could be used for further exploitation. The third vector involves requests to /admin/forum/ that generate error messages containing path information when a forum is not found, demonstrating that error handling mechanisms are not properly sanitized.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates multiple attack surfaces that can be leveraged by threat actors to build comprehensive reconnaissance profiles of the target system. The disclosure of usernames through the AdminName parameter directly impacts authentication security by providing attackers with potential targets for credential stuffing or brute force attacks against administrative accounts. The revelation of directory paths through the CSS endpoint enables attackers to understand the application's directory structure, potentially leading to further exploitation opportunities such as directory traversal attacks or path-based privilege escalation. The error message disclosure in the forum endpoint provides additional system layout information that can be used for crafting more sophisticated attacks against the hosting environment.
This vulnerability aligns with multiple CWE classifications including CWE-200 for Information Disclosure and CWE-352 for Cross-Site Request Forgery, though the primary classification would be CWE-200 for exposure of sensitive information. The attack patterns observed here correspond to techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1083 for discovering system information and T1068 for exploit private information, where adversaries gather intelligence about system configurations and user accounts to plan more effective attacks. The vulnerability also demonstrates characteristics of T1213 for data from information repositories, where attackers collect system information to support further compromise activities.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including proper input validation for all parameters, sanitization of error messages to prevent path disclosure, and implementation of proper access controls to limit information exposure. The most effective immediate fix involves modifying the application code to properly validate input parameters and sanitize all output responses to prevent sensitive information leakage. Additionally, implementing comprehensive logging and monitoring for unusual parameter values and error response patterns can help detect exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and code reviews should focus on identifying similar information disclosure vulnerabilities in other application components to prevent analogous issues from persisting in the system. The remediation process should also include disabling unnecessary administrative endpoints and implementing proper authentication controls to ensure that only authorized users can access sensitive system information.