# CVE-2008-5899: Information disclosure in n/a

> Remote attackers can download the database file containing administrator passwords via direct request, leading to credential theft and potential account takeover.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 12 Jan 2009
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-h97g-gfrr-wg44

## What is CVE-2008-5899?

CVE-2008-5899 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 12 Jan 2009. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

CodeAvalanche FreeForAll stores sensitive information under the web root with insufficient access control, which allows remote attackers to download the database file containing the administrator password via a direct request for _private/CAFFAPage.mdb.  NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.

Weakness: CWE-264

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-5899?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Codeavalanche Freeforall.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-5899?

No fix has been published for CVE-2008-5899 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2008-5899 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2008-5899 exists.

Public exploit code:

- CodeAvalanche FreeForAll - Database Disclosure (exploitdb)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2008-5899 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-5899 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 12 Jan 2009. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2008-5899 exists.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5899/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5899/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-5899
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-5899
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-5899

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5899/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.