CVE-2022-0504 in Microweber
Summary
by MITRE • 02/08/2022
Generation of Error Message Containing Sensitive Information in Packagist microweber/microweber prior to 1.2.11.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/11/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-0504 affects the Packagist package management system within the microweber/microweber framework prior to version 1.2.11. This issue represents a critical security flaw that exposes sensitive system information through improperly sanitized error messages generated during package operations. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to adequately filter or mask sensitive data when constructing error responses, creating potential attack vectors for malicious actors seeking to exploit information disclosure weaknesses.
This vulnerability manifests as a failure to properly handle error conditions within the package management subsystem, where error messages contain direct references to system paths, database credentials, or other sensitive operational details. The flaw operates at the application layer and specifically impacts the error handling mechanisms responsible for processing package installation, update, or dependency resolution operations. When these operations fail, the system generates error messages that inadvertently include exploitable information such as file paths, database connection details, or internal system configurations that should remain hidden from end users or unauthorized parties.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with valuable reconnaissance data that can be leveraged for subsequent attacks. The exposure of internal system paths and configuration details enables attackers to craft more targeted attacks against the application infrastructure, potentially leading to privilege escalation, unauthorized access to backend systems, or exploitation of additional vulnerabilities within the same environment. This weakness directly violates security principles of least privilege and defense in depth, as it provides unauthorized access to information that should remain protected within the application's secure operational boundaries.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-209, which describes "Generation of Error Message Containing Sensitive Information," and represents a clear violation of the principle that error messages should not contain sensitive data that could aid attackers in their efforts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this under T1212, "Exploitation for Credential Access," as the information disclosure can facilitate credential theft or access to system resources. Organizations affected by this vulnerability face significant risk of compromise, particularly in environments where the microweber framework is deployed with sensitive operational configurations or database credentials exposed in error messages.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediate upgrading to microweber version 1.2.11 or later, which includes proper error message sanitization and the removal of sensitive information from generated error responses. Additionally, organizations should implement comprehensive error handling procedures that ensure all error messages are properly filtered before presentation to users, including the removal of system paths, database connection details, and other operational information. Security configurations should include regular monitoring of error logs for potential information disclosure patterns, and application-level firewalls or WAF rules can be implemented to detect and block suspicious error message patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts.