CVE-2012-2327 in MyBB
Summary
by MITRE
MyBB (aka MyBulletinBoard) before 1.6.7 allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via a malformed forumread cookie, which reveals the installation path in an error message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/19/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-2327 affects MyBB versions prior to 1.6.7, representing a critical information disclosure flaw that exposes system paths through improper error handling mechanisms. This vulnerability specifically manifests when the application processes a malformed forumread cookie parameter, which triggers an error message containing the absolute installation path of the MyBB software. The flaw resides in the application's cookie validation and error reporting procedures, where insufficient input sanitization allows malicious actors to craft specially formatted cookies that bypass normal processing flows and expose sensitive filesystem information.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic path disclosure vulnerability pattern that aligns with CWE-200, which catalogs weaknesses related to improper information exposure. When a malformed forumread cookie is submitted to the MyBB application, the system fails to properly validate the cookie structure before attempting to process it, leading to an unhandled exception that subsequently displays the installation path in the error output. This occurs because the application's error handling routine does not adequately sanitize or filter the cookie data before incorporating it into error messages, creating a direct information leak channel that reveals the underlying server filesystem structure.
From an operational security perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to affected systems as it provides attackers with precise knowledge of the MyBB installation directory structure, which can be leveraged for subsequent exploitation attempts. The disclosed installation path enables attackers to better understand the application's deployment environment and potentially identify other system components or configuration files that might be accessible through directory traversal attacks. The vulnerability can be exploited remotely without authentication requirements, making it particularly dangerous as it allows attackers to gather intelligence about target systems regardless of their access level or privileges within the application environment.
The impact of this information disclosure extends beyond simple path revelation, as it creates a foundation for more sophisticated attacks by providing attackers with knowledge of the system's filesystem layout. This information can be combined with other reconnaissance techniques to identify potential file inclusion vulnerabilities, configuration files that might contain database credentials, or other sensitive system artifacts. The vulnerability represents a failure in the principle of least privilege and proper error handling, as the application should never expose internal system information to external users through error messages. Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing robust input validation for all cookie parameters, implementing proper error handling that does not reveal system paths, and ensuring that error messages are sanitized before display to prevent information leakage. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1083, which covers the discovery of system information through path disclosure mechanisms, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security controls that prevent such information leaks in web applications.