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Generation of Error Message Containing Sensitive Information if database server is not available

High
thorsten published GHSA-vrjr-p3xp-xx2x Dec 6, 2024

Package

Installer.php

Affected versions

4.0.0-alpha

Patched versions

4.0.0

Description

Summary

Exposure of database (ie postgreSQL) server's credential when connection to DB fails.

Details

Exposed database credentials upon misconfig/DoS @ permalink: https://github.com/thorsten/phpMyFAQ/blob/main/phpmyfaq/src/phpMyFAQ/Setup/Installer.php#L694

PoC

When postgreSQL server is unreachable, an error would be thrown exposing the credentials of the database. For instance, when "http://:8080/setup/index.php" is hit when the database instance/server is down, then credentials are exposed, for instance:

( ! ) Warning: pg_connect(): Unable to connect to PostgreSQL server: connection to server at "127.0.0.1", port 5432 failed: Connection refused Is the server running on that host and accepting TCP/IP connections? in /var/www/html/src/phpMyFAQ/Database/Pgsql.php on line 78
Call Stack
# Time Memory Function Location
1 0.0404 453880 {main}( ) .../index.php:0
2 1.1341 610016 phpMyFAQ\Setup\Installer->startInstall( $setup = ??? ) .../index.php:471
3 1.2113 611544 phpMyFAQ\Database\Pgsql->connect( $host = '127.0.0.1', $user = 'cvecve', $password = '<redacted>', $database = 'cvecve', $port = 5432 ) .../Installer.php:694
4 1.2113 611864 pg_connect( $connection_string = 'host=127.0.0.1 port=5432 dbname=cvecve user=cvecve password=<redacted>' ) .../Pgsql.php:78

( ! ) Fatal error: Uncaught TypeError: Cannot assign false to property phpMyFAQ\Database\Pgsql::$conn of type ?PgSql\Connection in /var/www/html/src/phpMyFAQ/Database/Pgsql.php on line 78
( ! ) TypeError: Cannot assign false to property phpMyFAQ\Database\Pgsql::$conn of type ?PgSql\Connection in /var/www/html/src/phpMyFAQ/Database/Pgsql.php on line 78
Call Stack
# Time Memory Function Location
1 0.0404 453880 {main}( ) .../index.php:0
2 1.1341 610016 phpMyFAQ\Setup\Installer->startInstall( $setup = ??? ) .../index.php:471
3 1.2113 611544 phpMyFAQ\Database\Pgsql->connect( $host = '127.0.0.1', $user = 'cvecve', $password = '<redacted>', $database = 'cvecve', $port = 5432 ) .../Installer.php:694

image

A way to force this would be to perform a denial of service on the database instance/server. When the db connection is refused, the credentials would show. The remote attacker can then use that to gain full control on the database.

Impact

This vulnerability exposes the credentials of the database and grants a remote attacker full control over the database.

First notified Snyk on 16 Jan 2024.

Severity

High

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
Low
Availability
Low

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:L

CVE ID

CVE-2024-54141

Weaknesses

Credits