CVE-2011-3753 in LinPHA
Summary
by MITRE
LinPHA 1.3.4 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 viewer.php and certain other files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/10/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3753 affects LinPHA version 1.3.4, a web-based photo gallery application that stores and displays digital images through a php-based interface. This security flaw represents a classic information disclosure vulnerability that exposes critical system details to unauthorized users. The vulnerability stems from the application's improper handling of error conditions within its php files, specifically when certain components fail to execute properly. When remote attackers make direct requests to vulnerable .php files such as viewer.php, the application generates error messages that inadvertently reveal the complete file system path where LinPHA is installed. This type of information disclosure creates a significant security risk as it provides attackers with detailed knowledge about the server's directory structure and deployment environment.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through simple network requests that target specific php files within the LinPHA application. When these files encounter execution errors or fail to locate required resources, the application's error handling mechanism outputs verbose error messages containing the absolute path to the installation directory. This path disclosure represents a fundamental flaw in the application's security architecture, as it violates the principle of least privilege by exposing system-level information that should remain hidden from external entities. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it demonstrates poor input validation and error handling practices that are commonly found in legacy web applications. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-200, which specifically addresses Information Exposure, and more broadly to CWE-115, which deals with Misrepresentation of Critical Information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple path disclosure, as it provides attackers with crucial reconnaissance data that can be leveraged for subsequent attacks. The exposed installation paths enable attackers to understand the application's deployment structure, potentially revealing the operating system type, web server configuration, and overall directory hierarchy. This information can facilitate more sophisticated attacks such as directory traversal attempts, local file inclusion exploits, or even targeted attacks against specific system components that share the same installation path. The vulnerability also compromises the principle of defense in depth, as it provides attackers with knowledge that should remain confidential within the application's internal architecture. From an attacker's perspective, this information disclosure creates opportunities for privilege escalation attacks and can serve as a foundation for more comprehensive system compromise, making it a critical security concern for any organization running affected versions of LinPHA.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations to address the information disclosure risk. The most effective approach involves modifying the application's error handling configuration to suppress detailed error messages from being displayed to end users or external parties. This can be achieved through php configuration changes that disable error reporting in production environments or by implementing custom error handling routines that mask sensitive path information. System administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block direct requests to vulnerable php files, as well as applying proper access controls that limit direct file access. Additionally, regular security audits should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications within the organization's infrastructure, as this type of information disclosure vulnerability is common in legacy web applications and represents a significant risk to overall security posture. The remediation process should include updating to patched versions of LinPHA where available, or implementing proper input validation and error handling mechanisms that prevent path information from being exposed in error messages.