CVE-2012-4069 in Dir2web
Summary
by MITRE
Dir2web 3.0 stores sensitive information under the web root with insufficient access control, which allows remote attackers to download the database via a direct request for system/db/website.db.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/21/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-4069 resides within Dir2web version 3.0, a web-based directory management system that suffers from inadequate access control mechanisms. This flaw represents a critical security oversight where sensitive database files are stored in a location accessible to unauthorized users without proper authentication or authorization checks. The vulnerability specifically affects the system's database storage configuration, which places the website.db file within the web root directory structure, making it directly accessible through standard web requests.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers craft direct HTTP requests to access the database file located at system/db/website.db. This misconfiguration allows attackers to bypass normal access controls and retrieve the entire database content without requiring valid credentials or administrative privileges. The flaw stems from improper file access control policies where the application fails to implement proper access restrictions for sensitive data stored in publicly accessible directories. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-276, which addresses inadequate access control mechanisms, and represents a classic example of insecure direct object references that enable unauthorized data access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it exposes sensitive information that may include user credentials, system configurations, content management data, and other confidential database records. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can gain comprehensive access to the application's underlying data structure, potentially leading to further exploitation opportunities such as credential theft, data manipulation, or system compromise. The exposure of database contents can result in significant data breaches, regulatory compliance violations, and reputational damage for organizations relying on the affected system. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213.002, which describes access to data through database management systems, and demonstrates how insufficient access controls can enable data exfiltration.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both the immediate access control issues and broader architectural security concerns. Organizations should immediately relocate sensitive database files outside of the web root directory and implement proper access control mechanisms using authentication and authorization checks. The system configuration must enforce proper file permissions and access restrictions to prevent direct web access to database files. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls, access control lists, and regular security audits can help prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring. The remediation process should include comprehensive code reviews to ensure no other sensitive files are improperly exposed and implementation of proper input validation to prevent path traversal attacks that could potentially exploit similar weaknesses in the system's file access controls.