CVE-2008-6199 in 2532gigs
Summary
by MITRE
2532designs 2532|Gigs 1.2.2 and earlier allows remote attackers to trigger a backup and obtain sensitive information via a direct request to backup.php, which creates backup.sql under the web root with insufficient access control.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/21/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-6199 affects the 2532designs 2532|Gigs content management system version 1.2.2 and earlier. This security flaw represents a critical access control issue that enables remote attackers to exploit the system's backup functionality without proper authentication. The vulnerability specifically resides in the backup.php script which, when accessed directly, generates a backup.sql file in the web root directory. This represents a fundamental failure in the application's security architecture where administrative functions lack proper authorization checks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and access control mechanisms within the backup.php script. When a remote attacker sends a direct HTTP request to the backup.php endpoint, the system automatically executes the backup process without verifying whether the requester possesses legitimate administrative privileges. This flaw directly violates the principle of least privilege and demonstrates poor security design practices. The backup.sql file contains sensitive database information including user credentials, configuration details, and potentially personal data of website visitors. The creation of this file in the web root directory exposes it to unauthorized access through simple web requests, making it easily discoverable and downloadable by any attacker with knowledge of the system's URL structure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted. An attacker who discovers the backup.php endpoint can immediately obtain a complete database backup containing potentially thousands of user accounts with associated passwords, personal information, and system configuration details. This compromise provides attackers with comprehensive access to the website's backend infrastructure and user base. The vulnerability enables information disclosure attacks that can lead to identity theft, account takeover, and further exploitation of the compromised system. The low complexity of exploitation makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it requires minimal technical skill to exploit and can be automated using common web scanning tools.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability maps directly to CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and CWE-312 (Sensitive Data Exposure), representing two critical categories of security flaws that consistently appear in web applications. The issue also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213.002 (Backup Data) which describes adversaries accessing backup systems to obtain sensitive information. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic case of insecure direct object references where the backup functionality can be accessed directly without proper authorization checks. Organizations should implement proper access control mechanisms including authentication verification, authorization checks, and input validation to prevent such issues. The remediation approach involves implementing proper access control for administrative functions, restricting access to backup scripts, and ensuring that sensitive files are not stored in web-accessible directories. Additionally, regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify and address similar access control vulnerabilities in web applications.