CWE-548: Exposure of Information Through Directory Listing
Learn about CWE-548 (Exposure of Information Through Directory Listing), its security impact, exploitation methods, and prevention guidelines.
What is Exposure of Information Through Directory Listing?
• Overview: Exposure of Information Through Directory Listing occurs when a web server improperly allows users to view a directory listing, revealing the contents of a directory on the server. This can inadvertently expose sensitive files and information that were not intended to be publicly accessible.
• Exploitation Methods:
- Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by simply accessing the directory on a web server that lacks proper access controls, allowing them to see all files within.
- Common attack patterns include scanning for directories with default settings or misconfigurations and using automated tools to identify exposed directories.
• Security Impact:
- Direct consequences include unauthorized access to sensitive files, such as configuration files, source code, or data files.
- Potential cascading effects involve attackers using exposed files to further compromise the server or extract additional sensitive information.
- Business impact includes data breaches, loss of customer trust, potential legal liabilities, and damage to brand reputation.
• Prevention Guidelines:
- Specific code-level fixes include configuring the web server to disable directory listing features, such as using 'Options -Indexes' in Apache or 'disable directory browsing' in IIS.
- Security best practices involve regularly auditing web server configurations, ensuring least privilege access, and maintaining updated security patches.
- Recommended tools and frameworks include using web application firewalls (WAFs) for added protection, employing automated security scanners to detect misconfigurations, and choosing frameworks that enforce secure defaults.
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Technical Details
Likelihood of Exploit: Not specified
Affected Languages: Not specified
Affected Technologies: Not specified