CVE-2011-3735 in escort-agency-cms
Summary
by MITRE
Escort Agency CMS (aka escort-agency-cms) allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via crafted array parameters in a request to a .php file, which reveals the installation path in an error message, as demonstrated by makethumb.php and certain other files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2018
The CVE-2011-3735 vulnerability affects the Escort Agency CMS, a content management system designed for escort agencies, which suffers from improper input validation and error handling mechanisms. This vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly sanitize array parameters in HTTP requests, creating a path traversal and information disclosure risk. The flaw manifests when attackers submit crafted array parameters to PHP files within the application, specifically targeting files such as makethumb.php and other vulnerable endpoints. The system's inadequate error handling causes it to reveal the full server installation path in error messages, providing attackers with critical system information that can be leveraged for further exploitation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the CMS's processing of user-supplied array data without proper validation or sanitization. When malicious array parameters are submitted to vulnerable PHP files, the application's error handling routine fails to properly filter or escape the input before displaying error messages. This results in the exposure of the complete server path where the CMS is installed, which can include directory structures, file paths, and potentially sensitive configuration information. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires no authentication to exploit, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by remote attackers from anywhere on the internet.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-3735 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the revealed installation paths can provide attackers with crucial system architecture details that enable more sophisticated attacks. An attacker who discovers the installation path can potentially use this information to craft more targeted attacks, including directory traversal attempts, local file inclusion exploits, or to map the server's file structure for further reconnaissance. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and information hiding, as the application should never expose internal system paths to external users. The exposure of installation paths also increases the risk of cascading attacks where attackers can use the discovered paths to identify other vulnerabilities or to craft more effective attack vectors against the system.
Organizations should address this vulnerability through immediate patching of the Escort Agency CMS to the latest version that contains proper input validation and error handling mechanisms. The fix should implement strict parameter validation for array inputs, sanitize all user-supplied data before processing, and ensure that error messages do not contain sensitive system information. Additionally, implementing proper error handling that suppresses detailed path information in error messages aligns with security best practices and helps prevent similar vulnerabilities. This vulnerability relates to CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and CWE-210, which covers information exposure through error messages. From an ATT&CK perspective, this represents a reconnaissance technique where adversaries gather system information to plan further attacks, specifically falling under the information gathering and reconnaissance category. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices and proper error handling in preventing information disclosure attacks that can compromise entire systems.