CVE-2018-9922 in iCMS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in idreamsoft iCMS through 7.0.7. Physical path leakage exists via an invalid nickname field that reveals a core/library/weixin.class.php pathname.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/27/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-9922 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the idreamsoft iCMS content management system version 7.0.7 and earlier. This issue manifests through improper error handling mechanisms when processing user input, specifically targeting the nickname field validation process. The vulnerability exposes sensitive system path information that could be leveraged by malicious actors to gain insights into the underlying system architecture and potentially identify additional attack vectors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization and error handling within the core library components of iCMS. When an invalid nickname field is submitted through the application's interface, the system fails to properly validate the input and instead returns a detailed error message containing the physical path /core/library/weixin.class.php. This path leakage occurs because the application does not implement proper exception handling or input validation that would prevent such sensitive information from being exposed to end users. The flaw resides in the application's error reporting mechanism which inadvertently reveals internal system structure information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with crucial architectural intelligence that can be used for subsequent exploitation attempts. The leaked path information reveals the application's directory structure and component organization, potentially enabling attackers to craft more targeted attacks against specific system components. This type of information leakage can facilitate directory traversal attacks, path manipulation attempts, and other exploitation techniques that rely on understanding the underlying file system structure. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-209, which addresses the improper handling of exceptions that may lead to information disclosure, and represents a clear violation of secure coding practices that should prevent such exposure.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the attack lifecycle where information gathering precedes exploitation. The leaked path information can be particularly valuable when combined with other reconnaissance activities, as it provides attackers with specific knowledge about the application's component structure and potential weaknesses. Organizations using affected versions of iCMS should prioritize immediate remediation through patch updates provided by the vendor, as well as implement proper input validation and error handling mechanisms to prevent similar issues from occurring. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices and implementing proper error handling that does not expose internal system information to end users. Mitigation strategies should include comprehensive input validation, implementation of generic error messages, and regular security assessments to identify and address similar path leakage vulnerabilities across the application stack.