CVE-2017-17924 in Professional Service Script
Summary
by MITRE
PHP Scripts Mall Professional Service Script allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive full-path information via the id parameter to admin/review_userwise.php.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/14/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17924 affects the PHP Scripts Mall Professional Service Script, a web application designed for managing professional services. This flaw represents a sensitive data exposure issue that occurs when the application fails to properly sanitize user input parameters, specifically the id parameter within the admin/review_userwise.php endpoint. The vulnerability arises from insufficient validation and sanitization of input data, allowing malicious actors to manipulate the parameter and gain unauthorized access to system information. The affected script processes user identifiers through the id parameter without adequate security controls, creating an information disclosure scenario that can reveal critical system paths and potentially expose underlying infrastructure details.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation practices within the PHP application's administrative interface. When an attacker submits a crafted id parameter to the admin/review_userwise.php file, the system processes this input without sufficient sanitization or authorization checks. This weakness falls under the category of information disclosure vulnerabilities, specifically exposing full system paths that can aid attackers in understanding the application's architecture and potentially identifying additional attack vectors. The flaw demonstrates poor secure coding practices where input parameters are directly used in application logic without proper filtering or validation mechanisms.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security risks for organizations using the affected PHP Scripts Mall Professional Service Script. The exposure of full system paths provides attackers with valuable reconnaissance information that can be used to plan more sophisticated attacks targeting the underlying system infrastructure. This information disclosure can facilitate further exploitation attempts, including directory traversal attacks, path traversal vulnerabilities, or other system-level compromises. The vulnerability essentially provides attackers with a roadmap to understand the application's file structure and potentially identify other sensitive files or directories that may be accessible through the same attack vector.
Security practitioners should recognize this vulnerability as a variant of CWE-200, Information Disclosure, and it aligns with ATT&CK technique T1083, File and Directory Discovery, which describes how adversaries gather information about files and directories on compromised systems. The vulnerability also reflects poor input validation practices that can lead to broader security implications, including potential privilege escalation or further system compromise. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input parameter validation, proper error handling, and removal of sensitive path information from error messages. The recommended solution involves implementing proper parameter sanitization, using prepared statements for database queries, and ensuring that all user inputs are validated against expected formats before processing. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and authentication checks for administrative endpoints can prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information and reduce the attack surface exposed by this vulnerability.