CVE-2019-3992 in elog
Summary
by MITRE
ELOG 3.1.4-57bea22 and below is affected by an information disclosure vulnerability. A remote unauthenticated attacker can access the server's configuration file by sending an HTTP GET request. Amongst the configuration data, the attacker may gain access to valid admin usernames and, in older versions of ELOG, passwords.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/12/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-3992 affects ELOG versions 3.1.4-57bea22 and earlier, representing a critical information disclosure flaw that exposes sensitive server configuration data to remote unauthenticated attackers. This vulnerability resides within the web application's handling of HTTP GET requests, where improper access controls allow attackers to retrieve configuration files without authentication. The affected system demonstrates a fundamental failure in input validation and access control mechanisms, creating an attack surface that directly violates security best practices for web application development.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a simple HTTP GET request that bypasses normal authentication procedures, allowing unauthorized access to server configuration files. These files contain critical information including valid administrator usernames and, in older versions, plaintext passwords. The vulnerability maps to CWE-200, which describes "Information Exposure" and specifically addresses situations where sensitive information is disclosed to unauthorized actors. This weakness represents a classic example of improper information hiding where application internals are exposed through inadequate access control measures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with the means to escalate privileges and gain full administrative control over the affected system. With access to valid usernames and passwords, attackers can bypass authentication mechanisms entirely and assume administrative roles within the application. This creates a pathway for further exploitation including data manipulation, privilege escalation, and potential lateral movement within network environments where ELOG systems are deployed. The vulnerability's severity is amplified by its unauthenticated nature, meaning that any remote attacker can exploit it without requiring prior credentials or access.
Security practitioners should implement immediate mitigations including restricting access to sensitive configuration files through proper web server configuration, implementing authentication mechanisms for all application endpoints, and deploying web application firewalls to monitor and block suspicious requests. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following the principle of least privilege and proper access control implementation as outlined in the mitre ATT&CK framework under the privilege escalation and credential access domains. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify similar information disclosure vulnerabilities in their web applications and ensure proper input validation and access control mechanisms are in place to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive system data.