CVE-2008-4164 in MemHT Portal
Summary
by MITRE
cron.php in MemHT Portal 3.9.0 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 • 11/03/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-4164 affects MemHT Portal versions 3.9.0 and earlier, specifically targeting the cron.php script within the application's architecture. This flaw represents a classic information disclosure vulnerability that occurs when the application fails to properly handle error conditions or direct requests to sensitive components. The vulnerability manifests when an attacker sends a direct request to the cron.php file, causing the system to generate an error message that inadvertently exposes the server's installation path. This type of information disclosure directly violates security principles by providing attackers with valuable reconnaissance data that can be used to plan more sophisticated attacks against the system.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which defines information exposure as a weakness where an application inadvertently reveals sensitive information to unauthorized users. The flaw occurs because the cron.php script lacks proper input validation and error handling mechanisms, allowing direct access to trigger error conditions that reveal system paths. This particular vulnerability operates at the application layer and represents a configuration or coding error rather than a fundamental protocol flaw. The vulnerability is classified as a remote attack vector because no authentication or local access is required to exploit it, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by any internet-connected attacker.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-4164 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the revealed installation path can serve as a critical piece of intelligence for attackers planning subsequent exploitation attempts. Knowledge of the system's file structure enables attackers to better understand the application's architecture and potentially identify other vulnerable components or files that might be accessible through similar means. This information disclosure can facilitate further attacks such as path traversal, directory listing, or even file inclusion vulnerabilities that attackers might attempt to exploit using the discovered paths. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality aspect of the CIA triad, as it provides unauthorized access to system information that should remain protected.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and error handling within the application's codebase. The recommended approach involves modifying the cron.php script to properly validate incoming requests and reject direct access attempts, while also implementing generic error messages that do not reveal system-specific information. Organizations should also establish proper access controls and authentication mechanisms to ensure that sensitive scripts like cron.php are not accessible through direct web requests. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to the principle of least privilege in application design. The remediation process should include comprehensive code reviews and security testing to identify similar information disclosure vulnerabilities within the application's architecture. Additionally, implementing proper logging and monitoring can help detect and respond to exploitation attempts, while following the ATT&CK framework's guidance on credential access and defense evasion techniques can provide broader security context for addressing such vulnerabilities.