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A single misconfigured endpoint. That’s all it took to expose root-level server access, hardcoded credentials, and sensitive configs of a major travel platform. In this gripping exposé, CloudSEK’s BeVigil unpacks how a seemingly minor oversight escalated into a full-blown Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability—no authentication required. From source code leaks to credential harvesting, discover how attackers could’ve breached the entire infrastructure—and what your organization must do to avoid the same fate.
Did you know that 70% of successful breaches are perpetrated by external actors exploiting vulnerabilities in an organization's attack surface? With CloudSEK BeVigil Enterprise, you can proactively detect and mitigate potential threats, ensuring a robust defense against cyber attacks.
Schedule a DemoExposing the Hidden Risks in Web Infrastructure
As enterprises increasingly rely on interconnected APIs and cloud-native architectures, even minor misconfigurations can evolve into critical security threats. A recent investigation by BeVigil, CloudSEK’s attack surface management platform, uncovered a severe unauthenticated Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability affecting a subdomain associated with a major player in the travel industry. This blog explores the discovery and its ramifications, showcasing the urgent need for rigorous security hygiene in digital infrastructures.
The Discovery
BeVigil’s API Scanner identified a critical LFI vulnerability in one of the domain. The flaw allowed unauthenticated access to the server’s root-level file system through exposed readfile and loaddata endpoints. By chaining directory listing and file read functionalities, an attacker could gain comprehensive access to internal files, including source code, configuration data, and hardcoded credentials.
Key Findings
The affected web application implemented two endpoints—readfile?path= and loaddata?path=—which could be manipulated to list and access arbitrary files across the server. These endpoints lacked proper authentication and input validation.
Combining these endpoints enabled attackers to extract hardcoded credentials, source code, deployment scripts, and authentication secrets, thereby compromising the integrity and confidentiality of the infrastructure.
Unmasking the Vulnerability: A Technical Breakdown
BeVigil’s Security Recommendations
BeVigil proposed a series of mitigation strategies to remediate the vulnerability and prevent similar issues:
Conclusion
This discovery underscores the severe implications of unauthenticated access vulnerabilities in publicly exposed web assets. By adopting a proactive security posture, enforcing least privilege principles, and integrating tools like BeVigil, organizations can fortify their digital ecosystems and safeguard critical assets from exploitation.
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