CVE-2008-7205 in VirtueMart
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the product view functionality in VirtueMart 1.0.13a and earlier allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via vectors related to a template file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/20/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-7205 represents a critical file inclusion flaw within the VirtueMart e-commerce platform version 1.0.13a and earlier. This issue resides within the product view functionality where the application fails to properly validate user input when processing template files, creating an exploitable path for remote attackers to access arbitrary files on the server. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability suggests that the flaw stems from improper handling of template file parameters that are directly influenced by user-supplied data, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate the application's behavior through crafted input.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability typically involves manipulating template file parameters to traverse the file system and access sensitive files that should remain protected. Attackers can leverage this weakness to read configuration files, database credentials, application source code, or other sensitive information stored on the server. The vulnerability falls under the category of path traversal attacks, which are commonly classified as CWE-22 - "Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory" and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1083 - "File and Directory Discovery" and T1566 - "Phishing with Social Engineering". The flaw specifically affects the template processing mechanism where user input is directly concatenated into file paths without proper sanitization or validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with potential access to critical system components that could lead to further compromise. Once an attacker gains access to configuration files, they may discover database connection strings, encryption keys, or other sensitive data that could enable them to escalate privileges or move laterally within the network. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of VirtueMart's product display system, making it particularly dangerous as it could be exploited by attackers without requiring authentication or specialized knowledge of the system's internal architecture. Organizations running affected versions of VirtueMart face significant risk of data breaches and unauthorized access to their e-commerce infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-7205 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected VirtueMart versions to the latest available releases that contain proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms. Administrators should implement proper file access controls and ensure that template files are not directly influenced by user input. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional protection layers, while regular security audits should verify that no unauthorized modifications have been made to the application files. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in web applications and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of template processing mechanisms. Organizations should also implement monitoring solutions to detect unusual file access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, and maintain regular backups to ensure rapid recovery in case of successful compromise. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of keeping third-party applications updated and following secure coding practices that prevent path traversal attacks through proper input validation and access control measures.