CVE-2011-3722 in Photo Gallery
Summary
by MITRE
Coppermine Photo Gallery (CPG) 1.5.12 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 include/inspekt.php and certain other files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/17/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3722 affects Coppermine Photo Gallery version 1.5.12, representing a critical information disclosure flaw that exposes sensitive system details to remote attackers. This vulnerability falls under the category of improper error handling and sensitive data exposure, which aligns with CWE-209 and CWE-497. The flaw manifests when attackers can directly access specific php files within the application's directory structure, particularly including files such as include/inspekt.php, which contain error messages revealing the absolute installation path of the vulnerable system.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through direct HTTP requests to specific php files within the Coppermine Photo Gallery installation. When these files are accessed without proper authentication or input validation, they generate error messages that inadvertently disclose the full server path where the application is installed. This type of information disclosure provides attackers with crucial reconnaissance data that can be leveraged for subsequent attacks, including path traversal exploits, local file inclusion vulnerabilities, or targeted attacks against the specific server environment. The exposure of installation paths violates fundamental security principles and provides attackers with precise knowledge about the system's file structure and deployment configuration.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates a foundation for more sophisticated attacks within the attacker's arsenal. By obtaining the installation path, threat actors can better understand the system's architecture and potentially identify other vulnerabilities that may exist within the same environment. This information can be particularly valuable when combined with other reconnaissance data, enabling attackers to craft more targeted and effective exploitation strategies. The vulnerability also represents a violation of the principle of least privilege and defense in depth, as the application should not reveal system-specific details to unauthorized users through error messages.
Security practitioners should implement several mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability effectively. The primary recommendation involves proper error handling configuration within the Coppermine Photo Gallery application, ensuring that error messages do not contain sensitive system information such as installation paths. This includes modifying the application's error reporting settings and implementing custom error handlers that sanitize output before display. Additionally, access controls should be strengthened to prevent direct access to internal php files through proper directory permissions and web server configurations. The implementation of web application firewalls and security monitoring solutions can help detect and block suspicious direct requests to sensitive files. Organizations should also consider applying the official security patches provided by the Coppermine development team or migrating to supported versions of the application that address this vulnerability. This remediation approach aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1212 for exploitation of information disclosure vulnerabilities and follows the security principle of minimizing information exposure as outlined in various cybersecurity frameworks including NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001 standards.