CVE-2011-3728 in Dolphin
Summary
by MITRE
Dolphin 7.0.4 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 xmlrpc/BxDolXMLRPCProfileView.php and certain other files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/10/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3728 affects Dolphin 7.0.4, a social networking platform that exposes sensitive system information through improper error handling mechanisms. This flaw represents a classic information disclosure vulnerability that can provide attackers with critical system details that may facilitate subsequent attacks. The vulnerability manifests when remote attackers make direct requests to specific php files within the application, triggering error messages that contain the absolute installation path of the Dolphin platform on the server.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's lack of proper input validation and error handling procedures. When accessing certain php files such as xmlrpc/BxDolXMLRPCProfileView.php, the system fails to sanitize the request parameters appropriately, leading to the exposure of the server's file system path in error messages. This type of information disclosure occurs because the application does not implement proper error suppression or custom error handling that would prevent sensitive path information from being returned to the client. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-209, which specifically addresses "Information Exposure Through an Error Message" and falls under the broader category of insecure error handling practices that are commonly exploited by attackers.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for organizations deploying Dolphin 7.0.4, as the exposed installation paths can serve as valuable reconnaissance data for attackers planning more sophisticated attacks. The leaked path information can reveal the underlying server structure, directory layout, and potentially indicate the presence of other vulnerable components within the same server environment. Attackers can leverage this information to craft more targeted attacks, including directory traversal attempts, path-based exploitation, or to identify potential attack vectors that might not otherwise be apparent. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure, as this data can be combined with other reconnaissance techniques to build comprehensive attack strategies against the affected system.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires minimal technical expertise and can be accomplished through simple web requests, making it particularly dangerous as it can be automated and scaled across multiple targets. Security practitioners should note that this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of implementing robust error handling mechanisms that do not expose system internals to end users. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a reconnaissance technique under the information gathering phase, where adversaries collect system information to plan more effective attacks. Organizations should implement proper logging and monitoring to detect unusual access patterns to php files that might indicate exploitation attempts, while also ensuring that all error messages are sanitized and do not reveal system-specific information. The remediation involves updating to a patched version of Dolphin, implementing proper error handling procedures, and configuring the web server to suppress detailed error messages from reaching end users.