CVE-2020-11579 in PHPKB
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Chadha PHPKB 9.0 Enterprise Edition. installer/test-connection.php (part of the installation process) allows a remote unauthenticated attacker to disclose local files on hosts running PHP before 7.2.16, or on hosts where the MySQL ALLOW LOCAL DATA INFILE option is enabled.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/04/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-11579 affects Chadha PHPKB 9.0 Enterprise Edition and represents a critical information disclosure flaw that undermines the security posture of affected systems. This vulnerability exists within the installer component of the software, specifically in the test-connection.php file that is part of the installation process. The flaw enables remote unauthenticated attackers to access local files on systems running vulnerable versions of PHP or those with specific MySQL configurations that permit local data loading. The issue stems from inadequate input validation and improper access controls within the installation utility, creating a pathway for unauthorized file disclosure that could expose sensitive system information.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability relies on the presence of two specific conditions that must be met for successful attack execution. First, the target system must be running PHP versions prior to 7.2.16, where certain security mitigations were not yet implemented. Second, the MySQL database configuration must have the ALLOW LOCAL DATA INFILE option enabled, which permits the loading of local files into database tables. When these conditions are present, the vulnerable test-connection.php script fails to properly validate user input, allowing attackers to manipulate parameters and traverse the local file system to access files that should remain protected. This represents a classic path traversal vulnerability that can be leveraged to extract configuration files, database credentials, and other sensitive information stored on the server.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure and can significantly compromise the security of affected systems. Attackers who successfully exploit this flaw can gain access to critical system information including database connection strings, application configuration files, and potentially sensitive data stored in local files. The vulnerability affects the installation process itself, meaning that during the software deployment phase, attackers can potentially compromise the system before it is fully operational. This creates a window of opportunity where the attacker can gather intelligence about the target environment, potentially leading to further exploitation attempts against other system components. The unauthenticated nature of the attack means that no prior credentials or access are required, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by anyone with network access to the vulnerable system.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of established frameworks such as CWE and ATT&CK for proper classification and mitigation planning. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-22, which describes path traversal or directory traversal flaws, and falls under the ATT&CK technique T1083 for discovering system information. The attack vector represents a reconnaissance phase that can precede more sophisticated exploitation attempts, making it a critical concern for organizations deploying this software. Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by upgrading to supported PHP versions, disabling the problematic MySQL configuration option, or removing the vulnerable installation components entirely. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper input validation and access control mechanisms within web applications, particularly during installation phases where security considerations may be overlooked. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be implemented to identify similar issues in other software components that may present similar attack surfaces.