CVE-2023-40757 in Food Delivery Script
Summary
by MITRE • 08/28/2023
User enumeration is found in PHPJabbers Food Delivery Script v3.1. This issue occurs during password recovery, where a difference in messages could allow an attacker to determine if the user is valid or not, enabling a brute force attack with valid users.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/28/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-40757 represents a critical user enumeration flaw within the PHPJabbers Food Delivery Script version 3.1 that directly impacts the security posture of the application. This weakness stems from the password recovery functionality where the system provides different response messages depending on whether a user account exists or not. Such behavior creates a clear information disclosure channel that adversaries can exploit to identify valid usernames within the system. The vulnerability manifests during authentication recovery processes where legitimate users attempting to reset their passwords receive distinct feedback compared to those attempting to target non-existent accounts, thereby exposing the existence of valid user accounts through subtle response variations.
From a technical perspective this vulnerability aligns with CWE-203, which specifically addresses the disclosure of information that should remain secret, and represents a classic example of timing-based or response-based information leakage. The flaw operates at the application logic level where the developers failed to implement consistent error handling for password recovery requests. When an attacker submits a username during password recovery, the system responds with either a success message indicating that a reset email was sent or an error message suggesting that the account does not exist. This differential response creates a clear attack surface that enables automated enumeration attacks. The vulnerability can be classified under ATT&CK technique T1087.001 for account discovery and T1110.001 for password guessing, as it directly facilitates the identification of valid targets for subsequent brute force or credential stuffing attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it fundamentally undermines the security model of the application by enabling attackers to compile comprehensive user lists for targeted attacks. An attacker can systematically test usernames against the password recovery endpoint, using the varying response messages to build a database of valid accounts. This enumeration capability significantly reduces the search space for brute force attacks, making credential compromise much more likely. The vulnerability also creates a risk of user account takeover attempts, as attackers can identify which accounts are active and focus their efforts accordingly. Additionally, this weakness may enable social engineering campaigns where attackers use the validated user information to craft more convincing phishing attempts or to target specific individuals within the organization.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-40757 should focus on implementing consistent error handling throughout the password recovery process. The system should provide identical responses regardless of whether a user account exists, ensuring that the recovery process appears uniform to all users. This approach aligns with the principle of least information disclosure and prevents attackers from distinguishing between valid and invalid accounts through response variations. Organizations should also implement rate limiting and account lockout mechanisms to prevent automated enumeration attempts, while considering the implementation of multi-factor authentication to add additional security layers. The fix should be applied through code modifications that standardize the password recovery response messages, ensuring that all users receive the same generic feedback message indicating that a recovery email has been sent, regardless of account validity. This approach not only resolves the immediate vulnerability but also strengthens the overall security architecture by eliminating information leakage channels that could be exploited in conjunction with other attack vectors.