CVE-2018-16668 in CirCarLife
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in CIRCONTROL CirCarLife before 4.3. There is internal installation path disclosure due to the lack of authentication for /html/repository.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/25/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-16668 affects CIRCONTROL CirCarLife versions prior to 4.3, representing a critical information disclosure flaw that exposes internal system paths through insufficient authentication mechanisms. This issue resides within the web application's repository access point at the /html/repository endpoint, where the absence of proper authentication controls allows unauthorized access to internal file system locations. The vulnerability stems from a fundamental security misconfiguration that fails to implement appropriate access controls, creating an attack surface that could reveal sensitive system information to any user with network access to the affected device. Such path disclosure can provide attackers with valuable insights into the underlying system architecture, file locations, and potentially sensitive directory structures that should remain hidden from external entities.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a clear violation of the principle of least privilege and proper access control enforcement. The lack of authentication for the repository endpoint represents a design flaw where the application assumes that internal resources can be accessed without verification of user credentials or authorization levels. This weakness allows an attacker to directly access the repository path and potentially enumerate internal directories, file names, and system configurations that should be protected. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, specifically focusing on insufficient authentication mechanisms that allow unauthorized access to system resources. From an operational perspective, this flaw creates a significant risk for devices running the affected software, as it enables attackers to gather information that could be leveraged for subsequent attacks against the system or network.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with actionable intelligence for more sophisticated attacks. When an attacker can access internal installation paths, they gain visibility into the application's file structure, which may reveal the presence of sensitive files, configuration data, or system components that could be exploited in combination with other vulnerabilities. This information disclosure can facilitate attacks such as path traversal, directory listing, or even file inclusion exploits that might be possible if the disclosed paths lead to executable components or configuration files containing credentials. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1083, which covers directory and file discovery, and T1592, which addresses reconnaissance through information gathering. Organizations using CirCarLife devices may face risks including unauthorized system enumeration, potential exploitation of other vulnerabilities through path information, and increased attack surface that could lead to privilege escalation or system compromise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-16668 require immediate implementation of proper authentication controls for the repository endpoint and comprehensive access control enforcement throughout the application. The most effective remediation involves implementing strong authentication mechanisms that require valid credentials before granting access to internal repository paths, along with proper authorization checks that ensure only authorized users can access sensitive system resources. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of the affected devices to untrusted networks. Additionally, regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar authentication gaps in other system components, and the affected devices should be updated to version 4.3 or later where the vulnerability has been addressed. The implementation of web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can also help monitor and prevent unauthorized access attempts to sensitive endpoints, while maintaining proper logging and monitoring of access attempts to identify potential exploitation attempts.