CVE-2019-12163 in Web Module
Summary
by MITRE
GAT-Ship Web Module through 1.30 allows remote attackers to obtain potentially sensitive information via {} in a ws/gatshipWs.asmx/SqlVersion request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/21/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-12163 affects the GAT-Ship Web Module version 1.30 and earlier, presenting a significant information disclosure risk that could enable remote attackers to extract sensitive system data. This flaw manifests through specifically crafted requests sent to the ws/gatshipWs.asmx/SqlVersion endpoint where the inclusion of empty curly braces {} in the request payload triggers unintended behavior. The vulnerability represents a classic example of improper input validation and error handling within web services, where the application fails to properly sanitize or validate the input parameters before processing them.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the module's inadequate handling of malformed input sequences, particularly when encountering empty parameter placeholders within the web service request structure. When the web service processes a request containing the {} characters, it appears to expose internal system information through error messages or response content that reveals database version details or other potentially sensitive metadata. This type of information disclosure vulnerability falls under the CWE-200 category of "Information Exposure" and can be classified as a CWE-20 "Improper Input Validation" when considering the root cause of the flaw. The vulnerability allows attackers to gather intelligence about the underlying database infrastructure, which could then be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks targeting specific database versions or known vulnerabilities.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses a serious risk to organizations utilizing the GAT-Ship Web Module, as it provides attackers with valuable reconnaissance information that could be used to plan targeted attacks against the database layer. The exposure of SQL server version information, database names, or other system metadata could enable attackers to identify specific vulnerabilities in the database software or exploit known weaknesses associated with particular version releases. This information disclosure could serve as a stepping stone for more advanced attacks such as SQL injection attempts or privilege escalation exploits that target specific database vulnerabilities. The remote nature of this attack vector means that an attacker could exploit this vulnerability from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access to the network or system.
The attack surface for this vulnerability extends beyond simple information gathering, as it could enable attackers to map the database structure and identify potential entry points for more serious exploits. The lack of proper input sanitization means that attackers could potentially chain this vulnerability with other flaws to achieve more significant impact. Organizations should consider this vulnerability in the context of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically within the reconnaissance phase where attackers gather system information. This vulnerability could be categorized under T1082 "System Information Discovery" and T1069 "Permission Groups Discovery" as it enables attackers to gather system metadata and potentially identify database access controls. The vulnerability also aligns with T1592 "Inventory of Assets" as it provides attackers with detailed information about the system infrastructure. Effective mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of the affected module to version 1.31 or later, implementation of proper input validation and sanitization for all web service endpoints, and deployment of web application firewalls to filter out suspicious request patterns containing malformed parameter sequences.
Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of the affected GAT-Ship Web Module within their infrastructure and ensure that proper access controls are implemented to limit exposure of the vulnerable web service endpoints. The fix for this vulnerability typically involves implementing proper input validation that rejects or sanitizes malformed parameter sequences before they are processed by the web service. Additionally, organizations should implement monitoring and logging of web service requests to detect potential exploitation attempts and establish incident response procedures to address any successful exploitation attempts. The remediation process should also include regular security testing of web applications to identify similar input validation flaws that could provide similar information disclosure capabilities.