CVE-2008-1752 in ezRADIUS
Summary
by MITRE
ezRADIUS 0.1 stores sensitive information under the web root with insufficient access control, which allows remote attackers to obtain credentials via a direct request for (1) config.ini or (2) database.ini. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/22/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-1752 affects ezRADIUS version 0.1, a network access control solution that manages wireless authentication and authorization. This flaw represents a critical misconfiguration that exposes sensitive system information through improper file access controls. The vulnerability exists within the web application's directory structure where configuration files containing authentication credentials are stored in locations accessible to unauthenticated remote attackers. The specific files at risk are config.ini and database.ini, which typically contain database connection strings, administrative credentials, and other sensitive parameters required for system operation.
This vulnerability stems from insufficient access control mechanisms implemented within the ezRADIUS application. The web root directory structure lacks proper authorization checks, allowing any remote attacker to directly request these configuration files through standard http protocols. The flaw aligns with CWE-200, which describes improper exposure of sensitive information, and represents a classic case of insecure direct object reference where the application fails to verify that the requesting user has appropriate access rights to the requested resource. The vulnerability enables attackers to obtain administrative credentials and database connection details without requiring any authentication or authorization, creating a significant attack surface for malicious actors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted. Remote attackers can directly access and extract database credentials, which may provide them with full database access and potentially enable further compromise of backend systems. This exposure allows attackers to escalate privileges within the network infrastructure, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability also enables data exfiltration and unauthorized access to wireless network authentication records, which could be used to gain unauthorized network access. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1566 (Phishing) and T1078 (Valid Accounts) where attackers can leverage stolen credentials to maintain persistent access, and T1528 (Steal Application Access Token) when credentials are used to access network resources.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper access controls and secure configuration practices. The primary remediation involves moving sensitive configuration files outside the web root directory and implementing proper access control mechanisms that verify user authorization before serving sensitive files. Organizations should implement web application firewalls to monitor and block direct requests to configuration files, while also ensuring that all web applications follow secure coding practices that prevent insecure direct object references. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar misconfigurations, and the principle of least privilege should be enforced for all application files and directories. Additionally, implementing automated monitoring systems to detect unauthorized access attempts to sensitive files can provide early warning of potential exploitation attempts.