CVE-2008-1680 in PHP-Nuke Platinum
Summary
by MITRE
PHP-Nuke Platinum 7.6.b.5 allows remote attackers to obtain configuration information via a direct request to maintenance/index.php, which reveals settings such as magic_quotes_gpc.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/20/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-1680 affects PHP-Nuke Platinum version 7.6.b.5 and represents a critical information disclosure flaw that exposes sensitive system configuration details to remote attackers. This vulnerability resides within the maintenance/index.php component of the web application framework, which inadvertently provides unauthorized access to internal system settings through direct HTTP requests. The flaw enables attackers to retrieve configuration parameters that should remain protected within the server environment, creating potential pathways for further exploitation and system compromise.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability involves improper access control and output validation within the maintenance/index.php script. When a remote attacker crafts a direct request to this specific endpoint, the application fails to implement adequate authentication checks or authorization controls before serving configuration data. The disclosed information includes critical settings such as magic_quotes_gpc, which indicates whether the PHP environment has magic quotes enabled. This configuration parameter is essential for understanding how the application handles potentially malicious input and can reveal important information about the server's security posture and input sanitization mechanisms.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations using PHP-Nuke Platinum 7.6.b.5 as it provides attackers with valuable reconnaissance information that can be leveraged for subsequent attacks. The disclosure of magic_quotes_gpc setting is particularly concerning as it reveals whether the application is vulnerable to certain injection attacks or has built-in protection mechanisms. Attackers can use this information to tailor their exploitation strategies, potentially bypassing security measures or identifying weaknesses in input validation. The exposure of configuration details can also aid in fingerprinting the target system and understanding its underlying architecture and security controls.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses improper output handling and information exposure, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1212, which involves data manipulation and information gathering through application vulnerabilities. Organizations may face compliance and regulatory risks when such information disclosure vulnerabilities exist in their web applications, as they can compromise the confidentiality and integrity of system configurations. The flaw represents a classic example of insufficient access control mechanisms and highlights the importance of implementing proper authentication and authorization checks for administrative components within web applications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate patching of the affected PHP-Nuke Platinum version to the latest available release, implementation of proper access controls for maintenance scripts, and restriction of direct access to administrative endpoints through web server configuration. Organizations should also consider implementing network-level restrictions to limit access to maintenance components and ensure that sensitive configuration information is not exposed through direct URL access. Regular security assessments and input validation reviews should be conducted to prevent similar information disclosure vulnerabilities from occurring in other application components. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to verify that access controls are properly enforced and that no other administrative endpoints expose similar configuration details to unauthorized users.