CVE-2008-3654 in TikiWiki
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in TikiWiki CMS/Groupware before 2.0 allows attackers to obtain "path and PHP configuration" via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/04/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-3654 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within TikiWiki CMS/Groupware versions prior to 2.0. This weakness falls under the broader category of information exposure vulnerabilities that can provide attackers with sensitive system details that may aid in subsequent exploitation attempts. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests that multiple pathways could potentially be leveraged to access the targeted information, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for security professionals who must consider all possible attack surfaces.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's failure to properly sanitize or restrict access to system configuration details and file paths. When attackers can obtain PHP configuration information and system paths, they gain valuable intelligence about the underlying infrastructure and application structure. This type of vulnerability commonly maps to CWE-200, which specifically addresses "Information Exposure" in software systems. The disclosure of PHP configuration parameters can reveal critical details such as open_basedir restrictions, safe_mode settings, and other security-related directives that may be exploited to bypass security controls or identify additional attack vectors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides threat actors with the foundational knowledge required for more sophisticated attacks. Once attackers have access to system paths and PHP configuration details, they can better understand the application's file structure, identify potential injection points, and plan targeted attacks against specific components. This information can be particularly valuable when combined with other reconnaissance data to craft more effective exploitation strategies.
Security practitioners should note that this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and output sanitization in web applications. The lack of proper access controls around configuration data represents a fundamental security flaw that could be addressed through proper implementation of the principle of least privilege. Organizations using TikiWiki CMS/Groupware should immediately upgrade to version 2.0 or later to remediate this issue, as the vulnerability has been classified under the ATT&CK framework as part of the reconnaissance phase where adversaries gather information about their target systems. The presence of such information disclosure vulnerabilities in content management systems highlights the need for regular security assessments and the implementation of comprehensive security monitoring solutions to detect and prevent unauthorized access to sensitive system information.