Information Disclosure
Information disclosure occurs when an application unintentionally exposes sensitive data that aids attackers in reconnaissance or directly compromises security.
How It Works
Information disclosure occurs when an application unintentionally exposes sensitive data that aids attackers in reconnaissance or directly compromises security. This happens through multiple channels: verbose error messages that display stack traces revealing internal paths and frameworks, improperly secured debug endpoints left active in production, and misconfigured servers that expose directory listings or version control artifacts like .git folders. APIs often leak excessive data in responses—returning full user objects when only a name is needed, or revealing system internals through metadata fields.
Attackers exploit these exposures systematically. They probe for common sensitive files (.env, config.php, backup archives), trigger error conditions to extract framework details, and analyze response timing or content differences to enumerate valid usernames or resources. Even subtle variations—like "invalid password" versus "user not found"—enable account enumeration. Exposed configuration files frequently contain database credentials, API keys, or internal service URLs that unlock further attack vectors.
The attack flow typically starts with passive reconnaissance: examining HTTP headers, JavaScript bundles, and public endpoints for version information and architecture clues. Active probing follows—testing predictable paths, manipulating parameters to trigger exceptions, and comparing responses across similar requests to identify information leakage patterns.
Impact
- Credential compromise: Exposed configuration files, hardcoded secrets in source code, or API keys enable direct authentication bypass
- Attack surface mapping: Stack traces, framework versions, and internal paths help attackers craft targeted exploits for known vulnerabilities
- Data breach: Direct exposure of user data, payment information, or proprietary business logic through oversharing APIs or accessible backups
- Privilege escalation pathway: Internal URLs, service discovery information, and architecture details facilitate lateral movement and SSRF attacks
- Compliance violations: GDPR, PCI-DSS, and HIPAA penalties for exposing regulated data through preventable disclosures
Real-World Examples
A major Git repository exposure affected thousands of websites when .git folders remained accessible on production servers, allowing attackers to reconstruct entire source code histories including deleted commits containing credentials. Tools like GitDumper automated mass exploitation of this misconfiguration.
Cloud storage misconfigurations have repeatedly exposed sensitive data when companies left S3 buckets or Azure Blob containers publicly readable. One incident exposed 150 million voter records because verbose API error messages revealed the storage URL structure, and no authentication was required.
Framework debug modes left enabled in production have caused numerous breaches. Django's DEBUG=True setting exposed complete stack traces with database queries and environment variables, while Laravel's debug pages revealed encryption keys through the APP_KEY variable in environment dumps.
Mitigation
- Generic error pages: Return uniform error messages to users; log detailed exceptions server-side only
- Disable debug modes: Enforce production configurations that suppress stack traces, verbose logging, and debug endpoints through deployment automation
- Access control audits: Restrict or remove development artifacts (
.git, backup files,phpinfo()) and internal endpoints before deployment - Response minimization: API responses should return only necessary fields; implement allowlists rather than blocklists for data exposure
- Security headers: Deploy
X-Content-Type-Options, remove server version banners, and disable directory indexing - Timing consistency: Ensure authentication and validation responses take uniform time regardless of input validity
Recent CVEs (13643)
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: x86/mm: Fix flush_tlb_range() when used for zapping normal PMDs On the following path, flush_tlb_range() can be used for zapping. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is low attack complexity.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: acpi: nfit: fix narrowing conversion in acpi_nfit_ctl Syzkaller has reported a warning in to_nfit_bus_uuid(): "only secondary bus. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is low attack complexity.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ksmbd: add bounds check for durable handle context Add missing bounds check for durable handle context. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is low attack complexity.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ksmbd: add bounds check for create lease context Add missing bounds check for create lease context. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is low attack complexity.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ksmbd: fix use-after-free in ksmbd_sessions_deregister() In multichannel mode, UAF issue can occur in session_deregister when the. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. This Use After Free vulnerability could allow attackers to access freed memory to execute arbitrary code or crash the application.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ksmbd: fix session use-after-free in multichannel connection There is a race condition between session setup and. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. This Use After Free vulnerability could allow attackers to access freed memory to execute arbitrary code or crash the application.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ksmbd: fix overflow in dacloffset bounds check The dacloffset field was originally typed as int and used in an unchecked addition,. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.1), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. This Out-of-bounds Read vulnerability could allow attackers to read data from memory outside the intended buffer boundaries.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ksmbd: validate zero num_subauth before sub_auth is accessed Access psid->sub_auth[psid->num_subauth - 1] without checking if. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.1), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. This Out-of-bounds Read vulnerability could allow attackers to read data from memory outside the intended buffer boundaries.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: exfat: fix random stack corruption after get_block When get_block is called with a buffer_head allocated on the stack, such as. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.0).
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tracing: Fix use-after-free in print_graph_function_flags during tracer switching Kairui reported a UAF issue in. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. This Use After Free vulnerability could allow attackers to access freed memory to execute arbitrary code or crash the application.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm/gup: reject FOLL_SPLIT_PMD with hugetlb VMAs Patch series "mm: fixes for device-exclusive entries (hmm)", v2. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is low attack complexity.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm: zswap: fix crypto_free_acomp() deadlock in zswap_cpu_comp_dead() Currently, zswap_cpu_comp_dead() calls crypto_free_acomp(). Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is low attack complexity.
Rejected reason: This CVE ID has been rejected or withdrawn by its CVE Numbering Authority. No vendor patch available.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: media: vimc: skip .s_stream() for stopped entities Syzbot reported [1] a warning prompted by a check in call_s_stream() that checks. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is low attack complexity.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nfsd: don't ignore the return code of svc_proc_register() Currently, nfsd_proc_stat_init() ignores the return value of. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is low attack complexity.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nfsd: put dl_stid if fail to queue dl_recall Before calling nfsd4_run_cb to queue dl_recall to the callback_wq, we increment the. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. This Memory Leak vulnerability could allow attackers to exhaust available memory leading to denial of service.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nfsd: fix management of listener transports Currently, when no active threads are running, a root user using nfsdctl command can. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. This Use After Free vulnerability could allow attackers to access freed memory to execute arbitrary code or crash the application.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: ath11k: add srng->lock for ath11k_hal_srng_* in monitor mode ath11k_hal_srng_* should be used with srng->lock to protect srng. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is low attack complexity.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: jfs: add check read-only before truncation in jfs_truncate_nolock() Added a check for "read-only" mode in the `jfs_truncate_nolock`. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is low attack complexity.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: PCI/ASPM: Fix link state exit during switch upstream function removal Before 456d8aa37d0f ("PCI/ASPM: Disable ASPM on MFD function. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. This Use After Free vulnerability could allow attackers to access freed memory to execute arbitrary code or crash the application.
nopCommerce through 4.90.1 does not offer locking for order placement. Rated low severity (CVSS 3.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable. Public exploit code available.
Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in WP Shuffle Subscribe to Unlock Lite allows PHP Local File Inclusion.3.0. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable. No vendor patch available.
Exposure of Sensitive System Information to an Unauthorized Control Sphere vulnerability in WPDeveloper Essential Addons for Elementor allows Retrieve Embedded Sensitive Data.1.9. Rated medium severity (CVSS 4.3), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in Themewinter Eventin allows PHP Local File Inclusion.0.25. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable. No vendor patch available.
Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in Lomu WPCOM Member allows PHP Local File Inclusion.7.7. Rated high severity (CVSS 8.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Exposure of Sensitive System Information to an Unauthorized Control Sphere vulnerability in mediavine Mediavine Control Panel allows Retrieve Embedded Sensitive Data.10.6. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.3), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Local File Inclusion vulnerability in Ready's attachment upload panel allows low privileged user to provide link to a local file using the file:// protocol thus allowing the attacker to read content. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.1), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Rejected reason: DO NOT USE THIS CANDIDATE NUMBER. No vendor patch available.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: usb: xhci: Don't skip on Stopped - Length Invalid Up until commit d56b0b2ab142 ("usb: xhci: ensure skipped isoc TDs are returned. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. This Use After Free vulnerability could allow attackers to access freed memory to execute arbitrary code or crash the application.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: socket: Lookup orig tuple for IPv6 SNAT nf_sk_lookup_slow_v4 does the conntrack lookup for IPv4 packets to restore the. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is low attack complexity.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bcachefs: bch2_ioctl_subvolume_destroy() fixes bch2_evict_subvolume_inodes() was getting stuck - due to incorrectly pruning the. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is low attack complexity.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nfsd: fix legacy client tracking initialization Get rid of the nfsd4_legacy_tracking_ops->init() call in. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is low attack complexity.
Mattermost Plugin MSTeams versions <2.1.0 and Mattermost Server versions 10.5.x <=10.5.1 with the MS Teams plugin enabled fail to perform constant time comparison on a MSTeams plugin webhook secret. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.3), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable. No vendor patch available.
The WP STAGING Pro WordPress Backup Plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Information Exposure in all versions up to and including 6.1.2 due to missing capability checks on the. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.3), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
A low privileged user can set the date of the devices to the 19th of January 2038 an therefore exceed the 32-Bit time limit. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
A vulnerability was found in TOTOLINK A3700R 9.1.2u.5822_B20200513. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.9), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
A vulnerability was found in TOTOLINK A3700R 9.1.2u.5822_B20200513. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.9), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
The Contact Form 7 plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Order Replay in all versions up to, and including, 6.0.5 via the 'wpcf7_stripe_skip_spam_check' function due to insufficient validation on a. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.3), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity.
A vulnerability was found in TOTOLINK A3700R 9.1.2u.5822_B20200513. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.9), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
A vulnerability was found in TOTOLINK A3700R 9.1.2u.5822_B20200513. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.9), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
A vulnerability was found in TOTOLINK A3700R 9.1.2u.5822_B20200513 and classified as critical. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.9), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
Interface exposure vulnerability in the mobile application (com.transsion.carlcare) may lead to information leakage risk. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
A vulnerability has been found in TOTOLINK A3700R 9.1.2u.5822_B20200513 and classified as critical. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.9), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in TOTOLINK A3700R 9.1.2u.5822_B20200513. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.9), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in TOTOLINK A3700R 9.1.2u.5822_B20200513.cgi of the component Password Handler. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.9), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
Hydra is a Continuous Integration service for Nix based projects. Rated low severity (CVSS 2.6), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable.
Unauthenticated attackers can send configuration settings to device and possible perform physical actions remotely (e.g., on/off). Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.9), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
An attacker can upload an arbitrary file instead of a plant image. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.3), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in magepeopleteam Booking and Rental Manager allows PHP Local File Inclusion.2.8. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable. No vendor patch available.
Exposure of Sensitive System Information to an Unauthorized Control Sphere vulnerability in NotFound Macro Calculator with Admin Email Optin & Data.0. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Weblate is a web based localization tool. Rated low severity (CVSS 2.2), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
Vulnerability in the Oracle BI Publisher product of Oracle Analytics (component: XML Services). Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. This Exposure of Sensitive Information vulnerability could allow attackers to access sensitive data that should not be disclosed.
Vulnerability in the Fleet Patching and amp; Provisioning component of Oracle Database Server. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.3), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Vulnerability in Oracle Secure Backup (component: General). Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.7), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. This Incorrect Permission Assignment vulnerability could allow attackers to access resources due to misconfigured permissions.
A maliciously crafted PDF file, when linked or imported into Autodesk applications, can force a Heap-Based Overflow vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
A maliciously crafted JPG file, when linked or imported into certain Autodesk applications, can force a Heap-Based Overflow vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
A maliciously crafted PDF file, when linked or imported into Autodesk applications, can force a Heap-Based Overflow vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Dpanel is a Docker visualization panel system which provides complete Docker management functions. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
HCL BigFix Web Reports' service communicates over HTTPS but exhibits a weakness in its handling of SSL certificate validation. Rated low severity (CVSS 2.1), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable. No vendor patch available.
OpenRazer is an open source driver and user-space daemon to control Razer device lighting and other features on GNU/Linux. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Uncontrolled search path element in Power Automate allows an authorized attacker to disclose information over a network. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.7), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
In JotUrl 2.0, passwords are sent via HTTP GET-type requests, potentially exposing credentials to eavesdropping or insecure records. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Helix ALM prior to 2025.1 returns distinct error responses during authentication, allowing an attacker to determine whether a username exists. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.3), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required. No vendor patch available.
When an email contains multiple attachments with external links via the X-Mozilla-External-Attachment-URL header, only the last link is shown when hovering over any attachment. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.4), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required. No vendor patch available.
cashbook v4.0.3 has an arbitrary file read vulnerability in /api/entry/flow/invoice/show?invoice=. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
This vulnerability allows any attacker to add playlists to a different user’s channel using the ActivityPub protocol. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.3), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
The vulnerability allows an existing user to add playlists to a different user’s channel using the PeerTube REST API. Rated medium severity (CVSS 4.3), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in NotFound Coming Soon, Maintenance Mode allows PHP Local File Inclusion.1.1. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required. No vendor patch available.
Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in NotFound hockeydata LOS allows PHP Local File Inclusion.2.4. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required. No vendor patch available.
Milestone Systems has discovered a security vulnerability in Milestone XProtect installer that resets system configuration password after the upgrading from older versions using specific installers. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable. No vendor patch available.
A malicious, authenticated user in Aidex, versions prior to 1.7, could list credentials of other users, create or modify existing users in the application, list credentials of users in production or. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.3), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Dell Trusted Device, versions prior to 7.0.3.0, contain an Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following') vulnerability. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.7). No vendor patch available.
In http-proxy-middleware before 2.0.9 and 3.x before 3.0.5, fixRequestBody proceeds even if bodyParser has failed. Rated medium severity (CVSS 4.0), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required.
In http-proxy-middleware before 2.0.8 and 3.x before 3.0.4, writeBody can be called twice because "else if" is not used. Rated medium severity (CVSS 4.0), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required.
Rejected reason: Not used. No vendor patch available.
Rejected reason: Not used. No vendor patch available.
Rejected reason: Not used. No vendor patch available.
Rejected reason: Not used. No vendor patch available.
Rejected reason: Not used. No vendor patch available.
Rejected reason: Not used. No vendor patch available.
Rejected reason: Not used. No vendor patch available.
Rejected reason: Not used. No vendor patch available.
Rejected reason: Not used. No vendor patch available.
Arctera eDiscovery Platform before 10.3.2, when Enterprise Vault Collection Module is used, places a cleartext password on a command line in EVSearcher. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.0), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Jupyter Remote Desktop Proxy allows you to run a Linux Desktop on a JupyterHub. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.0), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
AutoGPT is a platform that allows users to create, deploy, and manage continuous artificial intelligence agents that automate complex workflows. Rated low severity (CVSS 3.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity. This Exposure of Sensitive Information vulnerability could allow attackers to access sensitive data that should not be disclosed.
AutoGPT is a platform that allows users to create, deploy, and manage continuous artificial intelligence agents that automate complex workflows. Rated high severity (CVSS 8.6), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
A vulnerability classified as critical was found in ZeroWdd/code-projects studentmanager 1.0. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.3), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
Rejected reason: Red Hat Product Security has come to the conclusion that this CVE is not needed. No vendor patch available.
DevDojo Voyager 1.4.0 through 1.8.0, when Laravel 8 or later is used, allows authenticated administrators to execute arbitrary OS commands via a specific php artisan command. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.1), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.