CVE-2012-4254 in MySQLDumper
Summary
by MITRE
MySQLDumper 1.24.4 allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information (Notices) via a direct request to (1) learn/cubemail/restore.php or (2) learn/cubemail/dump.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/01/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-4254 affects MySQLDumper version 1.24.4, a web-based tool designed for database backup and restoration operations. This security flaw represents a significant information disclosure issue that exposes sensitive system information to unauthorized remote attackers. The vulnerability specifically manifests in the application's handling of direct HTTP requests to two particular script files within the learn/cubemail directory structure, creating an avenue for attackers to gather confidential data without proper authentication or authorization.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and access control mechanisms within the MySQLDumper application. When remote attackers send direct requests to restore.php or dump.php endpoints, the application fails to properly authenticate or authorize these requests, allowing unauthorized users to access sensitive notices and system information. This represents a classic case of insufficient access control, which falls under the CWE-284 access control weakness category. The flaw essentially creates a backdoor pathway that bypasses normal application security measures, enabling information disclosure attacks that can reveal system configurations, database structures, and other sensitive operational details.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the exposed notices could contain critical system information that attackers could leverage for subsequent exploitation attempts. Attackers might use the gathered information to understand the database architecture, identify potential attack vectors, or plan more sophisticated attacks against the system. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where MySQLDumper is deployed without proper network segmentation or additional security controls, making it a significant concern for organizations that rely on this tool for database management operations. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213.002 for data from information repositories, as it enables unauthorized access to system information that should remain protected.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including access control restrictions on the vulnerable endpoints, network segmentation to limit access to the affected directories, and comprehensive input validation for all web requests. The most effective long-term solution involves upgrading to a patched version of MySQLDumper that properly implements authentication checks and access controls for all administrative functions. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for unauthorized direct requests to sensitive endpoints can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Security teams should also conduct thorough audits of all web applications to identify similar access control weaknesses that could create comparable information disclosure risks within their infrastructure.