CVE-2008-0297 in photokorn
Summary
by MITRE
PhotoKorn allows remote attackers to obtain database credentials via a direct request to update/update3.php, which includes the credentials in its output.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/14/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-0297 affects the PhotoKorn content management system, representing a critical information disclosure flaw that exposes database credentials to remote attackers. This vulnerability resides within the update/update3.php component of the application, where direct access to this script results in the inclusion of sensitive database authentication information within the script's output. The flaw demonstrates a fundamental security misconfiguration that violates basic principles of secure credential handling and access control.
This vulnerability falls under the category of information disclosure as classified by CWE-209, where the application inadvertently reveals sensitive information through its output. The technical implementation flaw occurs when the update3.php script fails to properly sanitize or validate its output, resulting in the exposure of database credentials. The attack vector is straightforward and requires only a direct HTTP request to the vulnerable endpoint, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by any attacker with network access to the target system. The vulnerability essentially represents a failure in input validation and output sanitization, where the application does not properly verify the legitimacy of requests before returning sensitive data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching, as successful exploitation grants attackers complete access to the underlying database system. Attackers can leverage the exposed credentials to perform unauthorized database operations including data extraction, modification, or deletion, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability creates a persistent security risk since database credentials are often reused across multiple systems, meaning that exposure of these credentials can result in cascading security breaches throughout the network infrastructure. This type of vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through credential harvesting and T1078.004 for legitimate credentials for lateral movement.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security improvements. The primary fix involves implementing proper access controls and authentication mechanisms to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive scripts and their outputs. Application developers should ensure that sensitive information is never included in script output under any circumstances, and that all database connection parameters are properly secured through environment variables or configuration files that are not accessible via web requests. Additionally, implementing proper input validation, output encoding, and access control measures will prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in the future. Organizations should also conduct regular security audits and penetration testing to identify and remediate similar information disclosure vulnerabilities across their entire application portfolio.