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 (12564)
Misconfigured firewall rules in Meraki MR9600 (1.0.4.205530) and MX4200 (1.0.13.210200) routers accept WAN connections on source port 5222, allowing unauthenticated remote attackers to access services normally restricted to the local network. An attacker can leverage this to gain unauthorized access to sensitive internal services and information. No patch is currently available to remediate this vulnerability.
Incorrect permission assignment on critical resources in Juniper Networks On-Box Anomaly detection framework. Allows unauthorized modification of anomaly detection configuration, potentially disabling security monitoring.
Catalyst Sd-Wan Manager contains a vulnerability that allows attackers to access another affected system and gain DCA user privileges (CVSS 7.5).
Improper RSA signature validation in Ethereum Name Service (ENS) versions 1.6.2 and earlier allows attackers to forge DNS signatures for domains under .cc and .name TLDs, enabling unauthorized domain claims on ENS without actual DNS ownership. The vulnerability exploits Bleichenbacher's 2006 attack against RSA keys with low public exponents (e=3), which are used by these two TLDs' Key Signing Keys. No patch is currently available, leaving affected domains vulnerable to takeover attacks.
Telerik Ui For Asp.Net Ajax versions up to 2026.1.225 contains a vulnerability that allows attackers to collisions and file content tampering (CVSS 5.3).
Improper authorization in Sz Boot Parent up to version 1.3.2-beta allows authenticated attackers to reset arbitrary user passwords by manipulating the userId parameter in the password reset API endpoint. Public exploit code exists for this vulnerability, enabling remote password reset attacks against any user account. Upgrade to version 1.3.3-beta or later to remediate.
In JetBrains TeamCity before 2025.11.3 disabling versioned settings left a credentials config on disk [CVSS 2.3 LOW]
An Insecure Temporary File vulnerability in openSUSE sdbootutil allows local users to pre-create a directory to achieve various effects like: * gain access to possible private information found in /var/lib/pcrlock.d * manipulate the data backed up in /tmp/pcrlock.d.bak, therefore violating the integrity of the data should it be restored.
Path traversal in Kubernetes PersistentVolume creation via pathPattern parameter allows creating volumes in arbitrary host filesystem locations. CVSS 9.9 with scope change.
Configuration Manager versions up to 11.0.4-00 is affected by insertion of sensitive information into log file (CVSS 4.7).
FileBrowser Quantum versions prior to 1.1.3-stable and 1.2.6-beta expose a password bypass vulnerability in shared files, allowing unauthenticated recipients to download protected content by accessing the direct download link embedded in share details. An attacker possessing only the share link can retrieve files without providing the intended password, completely circumventing access controls. Public exploit code exists for this vulnerability, and patches are available in the patched versions.
Parse Dashboard versions 7.3.0-alpha.42 through 9.0.0-alpha.7 improperly cache master keys and read-only master keys using identical cache identifiers, allowing authenticated users to obtain privilege escalation by retrieving cached credentials not intended for their access level under race conditions. An attacker with read-only dashboard access could retrieve the full master key, while regular users could access the read-only master key, compromising Parse Server security boundaries. The vulnerability requires low privileges and specific timing conditions but is fixed in version 9.0.0-alpha.8.
OpenEMR versions prior to 8.0.0 expose complete contact details for all users, organizations, and patients to authenticated attackers with specific FHIR export and location read permissions. The vulnerability requires administrator-enabled OAuth2 confidential client access, limiting exploitation to high-trust server-to-server integrations with established relationships. This information disclosure affects OpenEMR deployments since 2023 and can be mitigated by upgrading to version 8.0.0 or later.
Configuration Manager versions up to 11.0.5-00 is affected by insertion of sensitive information into log file (CVSS 5.2).
Openemr versions up to 7.0.4 is affected by user interface (ui) misrepresentation of critical information (CVSS 5.0).
Devolutions Server 2025.3.14.0 and earlier contains insufficient access control in REST API endpoints that enables authenticated view-only users to retrieve sensitive connection data they should not access. An attacker with basic authentication credentials could exploit this to gain unauthorized visibility into protected connection information, compromising confidentiality without requiring user interaction or elevated privileges.
NVIDIA Delegated Licensing Service on all appliance platforms contains an authentication bypass that allows adjacent network attackers to access sensitive information without credentials. The vulnerability requires no user interaction and affects the confidentiality of the service, though no patch is currently available.
NATS Server versions prior to 2.11.2 and 2.12.3 fail to properly limit memory allocation during WebSocket compression, allowing unauthenticated attackers to trigger denial of service through compression bomb attacks that exhaust server memory. The vulnerability is exploitable pre-authentication since compression negotiation occurs before credential validation. A patch is available in versions 2.11.2 and 2.12.3.
Binardat 10G08-0800GSM network switch firmware versions before V300SP10260209 expose user credentials by storing passwords as reversible Base64-encoded values in web interface cookies, allowing unauthenticated attackers with cookie access to recover plaintext passwords. This high-severity vulnerability affects confidentiality of administrative credentials with no available patch, creating significant risk for network infrastructure compromise.
Binardat 10G08-0800GSM network switches version V300SP10260209 and earlier expose a hardcoded RC4 encryption key in client-side JavaScript, allowing unauthenticated remote attackers to decrypt sensitive configuration data and compromise network confidentiality. The static key weakness eliminates the intended cryptographic protection for protected values transmitted to and from the device.
Binardat 10G08-0800GSM network switch firmware prior to V300SP10260209 stores administrative credentials in plaintext within the web interface and HTTP responses, enabling unauthenticated attackers to extract valid user passwords. This information disclosure vulnerability affects network administrators and can lead to unauthorized access to critical network infrastructure. No patch is currently available.
Predictable session identifiers in Binardat 10G08-0800GSM network switch. Numeric session IDs are easily guessable, enabling session hijacking.
Download of Code Without Integrity Check vulnerability in Microchip Time Provider 4100 allows Malicious Manual Software Update.This issue affects Time Provider 4100: before 2.5. [CVSS 4.1 MEDIUM]
Actual is a local-first personal finance tool. [CVSS 7.5 HIGH]
Uninitialized memory read in Firefox Graphics Text component before 148. Text rendering may expose uninitialized memory contents.
Invalid pointer in Firefox DOM Core & HTML before 148. Incorrect pointer computation leads to memory access errors.
A use-after-free vulnerability in Firefox and Thunderbird's JavaScript WebAssembly engine allows remote attackers to achieve information disclosure or data manipulation through a malicious webpage or email attachment that requires user interaction. Affected versions include Firefox below 148 and Thunderbird below 148, with no patch currently available. The vulnerability has a network attack vector with low complexity and carries a CVSS score of 5.4.
The Settings UI component in Firefox and Thunderbird versions prior to 148 fails to properly restrict access to sensitive configuration data, enabling unauthenticated attackers to remotely disclose confidential information without user interaction. This vulnerability bypasses existing security mitigations designed to protect user settings and preferences. No patch is currently available for affected users.
Firefox and Thunderbird versions below 148 contain a race condition in the JavaScript garbage collection component that could allow an attacker to access or modify limited data through specially crafted content requiring user interaction. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 4.2 and currently lacks an available patch.
Improper boundary condition handling in the JavaScript/WebAssembly engine of Firefox and Thunderbird before version 148 enables remote denial of service attacks without requiring user interaction or privileges. An attacker can crash affected applications or cause service unavailability by sending specially crafted content. No patch is currently available.
Use-after-free in Firefox DOM Core & HTML before 148. DOM object lifecycle error.
A use-after-free vulnerability in Firefox and Thunderbird's DOM processing allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code through a malicious webpage or email attachment, requiring only user interaction to trigger. This affects Firefox versions below 148 and Thunderbird versions below 148, with no patch currently available.
Use-after-free in Firefox JavaScript GC before 148. Second GC UAF, different from CVE-2026-2795.
JIT miscompilation in Firefox WebAssembly before 148. The JIT compiler generates incorrect Wasm code, enabling type confusion. PoC available.
Use-after-free in Firefox JavaScript GC component before 148. GC-specific UAF affecting only mainline Firefox and Thunderbird.
Uninitialized memory in Firefox and Firefox Focus for Android versions prior to 148 enables remote attackers to read sensitive data without authentication or user interaction. The vulnerability allows information disclosure through memory that was not properly cleared before use, potentially exposing confidential user information to network-based attackers.
Use-after-free in Firefox ImageLib graphics component before 148. Image processing triggers use of freed memory.
Use-after-free in Firefox DOM Window and Location component before 148. Window/Location lifecycle management error.
Use-after-free in Firefox JavaScript Engine before 148. Fourth distinct JS engine UAF in this release.
Invalid pointer in Firefox JavaScript Engine before 148. Incorrect pointer computation leads to memory corruption.
Unauthenticated attackers can extract sensitive information from Firefox and Thunderbird users through a JavaScript engine JIT compilation flaw, affecting all versions prior to Firefox 148, Firefox ESR 140.8, Thunderbird 148, and Thunderbird 140.8. The vulnerability requires no user interaction and can be exploited remotely over the network. No patch is currently available for this high-severity flaw.
Use-after-free in Firefox Audio/Video Playback component before 148. Media playback triggers memory corruption.
Undefined behavior in Firefox DOM Core & HTML component before 148. Can lead to memory corruption and potential code execution.
Use-after-free in Firefox DOM Bindings (WebIDL) component before 148. Memory corruption in the interface between JavaScript and native DOM objects.
A use-after-free vulnerability in the IndexedDB storage component of Firefox and Thunderbird allows remote attackers to achieve arbitrary code execution through user interaction. Affected versions include Firefox below 148, Firefox ESR below 115.33 and 140.8, and Thunderbird below 148 and 140.8. No patch is currently available for this high-severity flaw.
Use-after-free in Firefox JavaScript WebAssembly component before 148. WebAssembly-specific memory management bug.
Use-after-free in Firefox JavaScript JIT compiler before 148. Second JIT-related UAF in this release, different from CVE-2026-2764.
Use-after-free in Firefox JavaScript Engine before 148 and Thunderbird ESR 140.8. Separate UAF from CVE-2026-2763 and CVE-2026-2758.
JIT miscompilation causing use-after-free in Firefox JavaScript JIT compiler before 148. JIT bugs are highly exploitable due to their deterministic nature.
Use-after-free in Firefox JavaScript Engine before 148. One of multiple JS engine UAFs fixed in this release.
Second sandbox escape in Firefox WebRender component. CVSS 10.0 — independent path from CVE-2026-2760 to escape the content process sandbox.
Sandbox escape via boundary violation in Firefox WebRender graphics component. CVSS 10.0 — allows escaping the content sandbox to execute code with elevated privileges.
Boundary violation in Firefox ImageLib graphics component before 148 enables memory corruption through crafted images.
Use-after-free in Firefox JavaScript garbage collector before 148 allows remote code execution through crafted JavaScript.
Boundary violation in Firefox WebRTC Audio/Video component before 148 allows remote code execution through crafted WebRTC media streams.
Address bar spoofing in Firefox before 148 allows malicious scripts to desynchronize the displayed URL from actual web content before receiving a response, enabling phishing attacks.
Improper access control in REB500 firmware allows authenticated users with low privileges to read and modify unauthorized directories via the DAC protocol. An attacker with valid credentials can escalate their file system access beyond their intended permissions, potentially compromising sensitive data or system integrity. No patch is currently available for this vulnerability.
Authenticated users with Installer role in REB500 firmware can bypass directory access controls to read and modify files outside their authorized scope. This privilege escalation affects systems where installer accounts are provisioned, enabling unauthorized data access and manipulation. No patch is currently available.
Authenticated users in Apache Superset versions before 6.0.0 can access sensitive user information including password hashes and email addresses through the Tag endpoint API, which improperly exposes user objects without proper field filtering. An attacker with low-privilege credentials (such as Gamma role) can exploit this to retrieve authentication data that should remain hidden. The vulnerability only affects instances with the TAGGING_SYSTEM enabled, which is disabled by default.
Improper access controls in RTU500 series firmware (RTU520, RTU530, RTU540, RTU560) expose sensitive user management data to unauthenticated attackers who leverage browser developer tools to bypass web interface restrictions. An attacker without privileges can read confidential user information that should require authentication, though the vulnerability requires direct access to development utilities rather than simple network requests. No patch is currently available for this medium-severity exposure.
Airflow versions before 2.11.1 have a vulnerability that allows authenticated users with audit log access to see sensitive values in audit logs which they should not see. When sensitive connection parameters were set via airflow CLI, values of those variables appeared in the audit log and were stored unencrypted in the Airflow database. While this risk is limited to users with audit log access, it is recommended to upgrade to Airflow 2.11.1 or a later version, which addresses this issue. User...
Medium severity vulnerability in ImageMagick. A heap out-of-bounds read vulnerability exists in the `coders/dcm.c` module. When processing DICOM files with a specific configuration, the decoder loop incorrectly reads bytes per iteration. This causes the function to read past the end of the allocated buffer, potentially leading to a Denial of Service (crash) or Information Disclosure (leaking heap memory into the image).
ImageMagick's UIL and XPM image encoders fail to validate pixel index values before using them as array subscripts, allowing an attacker to craft malicious images that trigger out-of-bounds reads in HDRI builds. Exploitation can result in information disclosure or denial of service through process crashes. Versions prior to 7.1.2-15 and 6.9.13-40 are affected, and no patch is currently available.
Information disclosure in free5GC UDR versions up to 1.4.1 allows remote attackers to obtain detailed internal parsing error messages through the NEF component's Nnef_PfdManagement service, enabling service fingerprinting and reconnaissance. Public exploit code exists for this vulnerability, and all deployments using the affected service are at risk. A patch is available in pull request 56 and should be applied immediately, as no application-level workarounds exist.
Heap memory disclosure in ImageMagick's PSD file parser allows unauthenticated remote attackers to leak sensitive information from process memory by crafting malicious Photoshop files with improperly compressed layer data. Affected versions prior to 7.1.2-15 and 6.9.13-40 fail to properly validate decompressed data sizes, exposing uninitialized heap contents in generated output images. No patch is currently available for this vulnerability.
free5GC is an open-source project for 5th generation (5G) mobile core networks. Versions up to and including 1.4.1 of the User Data Repository are affected by Improper Error Handling with Information Exposure. [CVSS 5.3 MEDIUM]
Insecure random number generation in Smolder 1.51 Perl testing framework. Uses rand() for cryptographic operations instead of a CSPRNG, enabling prediction of security tokens.
free5GC UDR is the user data repository (UDR) for free5GC, an an open-source project for 5th generation (5G) mobile core networks. Versions prior to 1.4.1 contain an Improper Error Handling vulnerability with Information Exposure. [CVSS 5.3 MEDIUM]
Simple Ajax Chat through version 20251121 exposes sensitive system information to unauthorized access due to improper data protection controls. An unauthenticated remote attacker can retrieve embedded sensitive data from the application with minimal effort. No patch is currently available to remediate this vulnerability.
libtiff up to v4.7.1 was discovered to contain a double free via the component tools/tiffcrop.c. [CVSS 5.0 MEDIUM]
F3 Firmware contains a vulnerability that allows attackers to the response to be stored in client-side caches and recovered by other local use (CVSS 6.5).
An information exposure vulnerability exists in Vulnerability in HCL Software ZIE for Web. The application transmits sensitive session tokens and authentication identifiers within the URL query parameters . [CVSS 5.9 MEDIUM]
FastApiAdmin versions up to 2.2.0 contain an information disclosure vulnerability in the file download endpoint that allows authenticated attackers to read arbitrary files through path traversal manipulation. Public exploit code exists for this vulnerability, enabling remote exploitation by users with valid credentials. The vulnerability affects the download_controller function and currently has no available patch.
FastApiAdmin versions up to 2.2.0 expose sensitive information through the reset_api_docs function in the Custom Documentation Endpoint, allowing unauthenticated remote attackers to access confidential data. Public exploit code is available for this vulnerability, increasing the risk of active exploitation. No patch is currently available to remediate this issue.
Improper input sanitization in Datapizza AI 0.0.2's Jinja2 template handler allows remote attackers with high privileges to inject malicious template syntax through the ChatPromptTemplate function, potentially enabling code execution or information disclosure. Public exploit code exists for this vulnerability, and no patch is currently available from the vendor despite early notification.
A security vulnerability has been detected in Cesanta Mongoose up to 7.20. This affects the function getpeer of the file /src/net_builtin.c of the component TCP Sequence Number Handler. [CVSS 3.7 LOW]
Funadmin versions up to 7.1.0-rc4 contain an information disclosure vulnerability in the password recovery function that allows unauthenticated remote attackers to access sensitive user data. Public exploit code is available for this vulnerability, and the vendor has not released a patch despite early notification. The low CVSS score of 5.3 reflects limited impact, though organizations running affected versions should implement compensating controls until an update is available.
CollabPlatform's misconfigured CORS policy allows credentialed cross-origin requests from attacker-controlled domains, enabling unauthorized access to sensitive user account data including email addresses, account identifiers, and MFA status. All versions of the application are affected by this vulnerability, which remains unpatched and exploitable through simple web-based attacks requiring user interaction.
OpenClaw CLI versions 2026.2.13 and earlier terminate processes based on command-line pattern matching without verifying process ownership, allowing unrelated processes to be killed on shared hosts. An attacker or unprivileged user on a multi-tenant system could leverage this to disrupt services or cause denial of service by triggering process cleanup routines that match their target applications. The vulnerability has been patched in version 2026.2.14.
Openclaw contains a vulnerability that allows attackers to potential unintentional disclosure of local files from the packaging machine int (CVSS 4.4).
Static Web Server versions up to 2.40.1 contains a vulnerability that allows attackers to identify valid users by exploiting early responses for invalid usernames, enabli (CVSS 5.3).
BigBlueButton is an open-source virtual classroom. In versions 3.0.19 and below, when first joining a session with the microphone muted, the client sends audio to the server regardless of mute state. [CVSS 2.0 LOW]
Asn1 Ts library versions 11.0.5 and below expose sensitive data through unintended ArrayBuffer leakage during INTEGER decoding operations in BER/DER codec processing. Applications using affected versions could inadvertently disclose memory contents to remote attackers without requiring authentication or user interaction. A patch is available in version 11.0.6 and later.
Information disclosure in Foswiki versions up to 2.1.10 allows unauthenticated remote attackers to access sensitive data through the Changes/Viewfile/Oops component. Public exploit code exists for this vulnerability. Upgrading to version 2.1.11 or later resolves the issue.
Arbitrary host file exfiltration from Cloud Hypervisor VMM versions 34.0-50.0. CVSS 10.0. Patch available.
Feathersjs versions 5.0.39 and below store unencrypted HTTP headers in base64-encoded session cookies, allowing attackers with network access to decode and retrieve sensitive internal infrastructure details such as API keys, service tokens, and internal IP addresses. Authenticated users can exploit this vulnerability in deployments behind reverse proxies or API gateways to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. A patch is available for affected installations.
When a DAG failed during parsing, Airflow’s error-reporting in the UI could include the full kwargs passed to the operators. If those kwargs contained sensitive values (such as secrets), they might be exposed in the UI tracebacks to authenticated users who had permission to view that DAG. [CVSS 6.5 MEDIUM]
RustDesk Client for Windows file transfer functionality allows local attackers with low-privileged code execution to read arbitrary files through symlink injection, potentially disclosing sensitive information with SYSTEM-level access. An attacker can exploit the Transfer File feature by uploading a specially crafted symbolic link to bypass access controls and access protected files on the target system. No patch is currently available for this vulnerability.
Certain Samsung MultiXpress Multifunction Printers may be vulnerable to information disclosure, potentially exposing address book entries and other device configuration information through specific APIs without proper authorization.
Global Facilities Management Software versions up to 20230721a contains a security vulnerability (CVSS 7.1).