CVE-2008-5127 in Contact Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Ocean12 Contact Manager Pro 1.02 stores sensitive information under the web root with insufficient access control, which allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via a direct request to o12con.mdb.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/11/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2008-5127 represents a critical misconfiguration issue within the Ocean12 Contact Manager Pro version 1.02 web application. This flaw stems from improper handling of sensitive data storage and access control mechanisms, creating a significant security risk for organizations using this contact management solution. The vulnerability specifically affects web applications that fail to implement proper access controls for database files stored within the web root directory structure, a common pattern in poorly configured legacy web applications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application storing a Microsoft Access database file named o12con.mdb directly within the web root directory without adequate protection mechanisms. This database file contains sensitive contact information including personal data, email addresses, phone numbers, and potentially other confidential details that organizations store in their contact management systems. The flaw allows remote attackers to bypass normal access controls by simply requesting the database file directly through a web browser or automated tool, eliminating the need for authentication or authorization checks that should normally protect such sensitive data.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates immediate and severe consequences for affected organizations. Attackers can directly download and access the entire contact database without any authentication requirements, potentially exposing thousands of contacts from the organization's customer base or employee directory. The impact extends beyond simple data exposure as the compromised information can be used for social engineering attacks, phishing campaigns, identity theft, or targeted marketing fraud. Organizations may face regulatory compliance violations under data protection laws such as gdpr or hipaa if personal information is compromised through this vulnerability, particularly when the database contains personally identifiable information or sensitive organizational data.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses "Information Exposure" and specifically covers situations where applications fail to properly protect sensitive data. Additionally, this flaw demonstrates characteristics of CWE-264, "Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls," as the application fails to implement proper access control mechanisms for database files. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability maps to multiple ATT&CK techniques including T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage and T1005 for data from local systems, representing a straightforward path to information gathering and exfiltration.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper access control measures and secure configuration practices. Organizations should relocate database files outside of the web root directory structure and implement proper file permissions that prevent direct web access to sensitive database files. The application should enforce authentication and authorization checks before any database access is permitted, and proper web server configuration should be implemented to prevent direct access to database files. Regular security audits should verify that no sensitive files remain accessible through web requests, and organizations should implement monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts to sensitive resources. Additionally, the application should be updated to a newer version that properly addresses these access control issues, as version 1.02 appears to be an outdated release that likely contains additional unpatched vulnerabilities.