CVE-2008-3481 in Photo Gallery
Summary
by MITRE
themes/sample/theme.php in Coppermine Photo Gallery (CPG) 1.4.18 and earlier allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via a direct request, which reveals the installation path in an error message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/02/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-3481 affects Coppermine Photo Gallery versions 1.4.18 and earlier, specifically within the themes/sample/theme.php file. This represents a classic information disclosure flaw that exposes sensitive system details to remote attackers through improper error handling mechanisms. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to sanitize error messages or validate user input properly, creating an avenue for threat actors to gain unauthorized knowledge about the system's underlying structure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when a remote attacker makes a direct request to the theme.php file without proper authentication or validation. The application processes this request and generates an error message that inadvertently includes the full installation path of the Coppermine Photo Gallery system. This path disclosure represents a significant security risk as it provides attackers with crucial information about the server's file structure, potentially enabling further exploitation techniques. The flaw operates under CWE-200, which specifically addresses information exposure, and demonstrates how error handling practices can inadvertently leak sensitive system information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple path disclosure, as it creates a foundation for more sophisticated attacks. Attackers can leverage the exposed installation paths to craft targeted attacks against the specific version of Coppermine in use, potentially identifying known vulnerabilities or misconfigurations associated with that particular version. This information leakage can facilitate directory traversal attacks, privilege escalation attempts, or other exploitation techniques that rely on understanding the target system's file structure. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) by providing attackers with systematic access to filesystem information that would otherwise require more extensive reconnaissance.
The remediation approach for this vulnerability requires immediate patching of the affected Coppermine Photo Gallery installations to version 1.4.19 or later, where the error handling has been properly addressed. System administrators should implement proper input validation and error message sanitization to prevent similar issues in the future. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their web applications to identify other potential information disclosure vulnerabilities that may exist in their codebases. The fix typically involves modifying the error handling logic to prevent sensitive path information from being exposed in error messages, thereby aligning with security best practices outlined in OWASP Top Ten and other industry standards for secure coding practices.