CVE-2018-14907 in 3CX
Summary
by MITRE
The Web server in 3CX version 15.5.8801.3 is vulnerable to Information Leakage, because of improper error handling in Stack traces, as demonstrated by discovering a full pathname.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/13/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-14907 affects the 3CX Web server component version 15.5.8801.3 and represents a critical information disclosure weakness that stems from inadequate error handling mechanisms. This flaw allows attackers to extract sensitive system information through stack trace exposure, specifically revealing full directory pathnames that can be leveraged for further exploitation. The vulnerability resides within the web server's response handling when processing requests that trigger internal errors, demonstrating a fundamental lack of proper error sanitization and security hardening in the application's error reporting infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests when the 3CX Web server encounters an error condition during request processing, rather than returning a generic error message or handling the exception gracefully, the system exposes detailed stack trace information including complete file paths and directory structures. This improper error handling directly violates security best practices and follows the CWE-200 weakness category, which specifically addresses improper error handling that can lead to information disclosure. The exposure of full pathnames provides attackers with precise knowledge of the server's file system structure, including installation directories, configuration file locations, and potentially sensitive path references that could be used in subsequent attacks.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability significantly impacts the security posture of systems running affected 3CX versions by providing threat actors with crucial reconnaissance information that would otherwise remain hidden. The leaked pathnames can be used to map the underlying file system structure, identify potential attack vectors, and plan more sophisticated exploitation techniques. The information leakage creates opportunities for attackers to craft targeted attacks against specific files or directories, potentially leading to privilege escalation, data exfiltration, or further system compromise. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations relying on 3CX for telephony services, as it exposes the underlying infrastructure to unauthorized information gathering that could undermine the entire communication system's security.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable more advanced attack scenarios within the context of the ATT&CK framework's reconnaissance and initial access phases. Security professionals should note that this flaw aligns with techniques categorized under T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) and T1592 (Gather Victim Host Information), as the exposed pathnames provide attackers with systematic knowledge of the target environment. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including patching to the latest 3CX versions that address this error handling flaw, configuring web server error pages to return generic messages instead of detailed technical information, and implementing proper logging and monitoring to detect attempts to exploit this vulnerability. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be reviewed to limit potential lateral movement if the vulnerability is successfully exploited, as the exposed path information could facilitate more targeted attacks against specific system components or configuration files.