CVE-2015-3882 in qdPM
Summary
by MITRE
qdPM 8.3 allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via invalid ID value to index.php/users/info/id/[ID], which reveals the installation path in an error message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/09/2020
The vulnerability described in CVE-2015-3882 affects qdPM version 8.3, a web-based project management application that exposes sensitive system information through improper error handling mechanisms. This issue represents a classic information disclosure vulnerability that can provide attackers with critical system details that may aid in subsequent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability manifests when users attempt to access the user information endpoint through the URL pattern index.php/users/info/id/[ID] where [ID] represents an invalid user identifier. When an invalid ID value is provided, the application fails to properly validate the input and instead returns an error message that inadvertently reveals the application's installation path on the server filesystem.
This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-209, which specifically addresses the exposure of error information that can reveal system details to unauthorized users. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation practices where the application does not adequately sanitize or validate user-supplied identifiers before processing them. The error message generated by the system contains path information that can be leveraged by attackers to understand the underlying server structure, potentially revealing directory layouts, file locations, and other sensitive environmental details that could be used to craft more sophisticated attacks. Such information disclosure vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they provide attackers with reconnaissance data that can significantly reduce the complexity of subsequent exploitation phases.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates opportunities for attackers to perform reconnaissance activities that could lead to more severe compromises. The revealed installation path may contain clues about the server configuration, operating system type, and potentially other application components that could be targeted. Attackers can use this information to plan targeted attacks against specific system components or to understand the application's architecture better. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1083, which covers the discovery of system information through the enumeration of system files and directories, and T1068, which involves the exploitation of system vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access. The vulnerability can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication, making it particularly attractive to threat actors seeking to gather intelligence before launching more targeted attacks.
The recommended mitigations for this vulnerability involve implementing proper input validation and error handling mechanisms within the application. Developers should ensure that all user-supplied identifiers are properly validated before being processed, and that error messages do not contain sensitive system information. The application should implement generic error responses that do not reveal installation paths or system details to unauthorized users. Additionally, proper logging and monitoring should be implemented to detect and respond to attempts to exploit this vulnerability. Security hardening practices should include configuring the web server to suppress detailed error messages and implementing proper access controls to limit information exposure. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in the application codebase, ensuring that input validation and error handling mechanisms are robust and consistent across all application components.