CVE-2011-3696 in 60cycle
Summary
by MITRE
60cycleCMS 2.5.2 allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via a direct request to a .php file, which reveals the installation path in an error message, as demonstrated by post.php and certain other files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/10/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3696 affects 60cycleCMS version 2.5.2, representing a critical information disclosure flaw that exposes sensitive system details to remote attackers. This vulnerability stems from inadequate error handling mechanisms within the content management system's architecture, specifically when processing direct requests to php files. The flaw manifests when attackers can access certain php files such as post.php directly, resulting in error messages that inadvertently reveal the complete installation path of the web application on the server filesystem.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application's failure to properly sanitize error outputs or implement appropriate access controls for sensitive files. When a direct request is made to vulnerable php files, the system generates error messages that contain full filesystem paths, including the root directory structure where 60cycleCMS is installed. This type of information disclosure represents a fundamental security misconfiguration that violates the principle of least privilege and information hiding. The exposure of installation paths provides attackers with critical reconnaissance data that can be leveraged for subsequent attacks, including path traversal exploits, directory listing enumeration, and targeted attacks against specific system components.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability significantly weakens the security posture of affected systems by providing attackers with precise knowledge of the server's file structure. The disclosed installation paths enable malicious actors to craft more sophisticated attacks targeting specific files or directories within the application's framework. This information disclosure can facilitate further exploitation attempts such as local file inclusion vulnerabilities, directory traversal attacks, or even privilege escalation techniques that rely on understanding the underlying system architecture. The vulnerability also undermines the security of the entire web application ecosystem by exposing the physical location where sensitive application files reside, potentially revealing other system components or configurations that could be targeted.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with CWE-200, which addresses information exposure through error messages, and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1212, which focuses on exploitation of information disclosure vulnerabilities. Organizations affected by this issue should implement immediate mitigations including disabling direct access to php files through proper configuration of web server access controls, implementing comprehensive error handling that does not expose system paths, and ensuring that all application components properly validate and sanitize error outputs. Additionally, security hardening measures should include regular security audits of web applications, implementation of proper input validation, and deployment of web application firewalls to monitor and block suspicious access patterns. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper error handling and access control implementation in web applications, particularly those handling sensitive information or serving as content management systems for enterprise environments.