Directory Listing

Web servers can be configured to automatically list the contents of directories that do not have an index page present. This can aid an attacker by enabling them to quickly identify the resources at a given path, and proceed directly to analysing and attacking those resources. It particularly increases the exposure of sensitive files within the directory that are not intended to be accessible to users, such as temporary files and crash dumps.

Directory listings themselves do not necessarily constitute a security vulnerability. Any sensitive resources within the web root should in any case be properly access-controlled, and should not be accessible by an unauthorized party who happens to know or guess the URL. Even when directory listings are disabled, an attacker may guess the location of sensitive files using automated tools.

Directory listing is a web server function that can cause a vulnerability. When enabled, it displays the contents of a directory that has no index file. This function should always be turned off. It is dangerous to leave it enabled because it leads to information disclosure.

For example, if you navigate to a directory on your computer using a file explorer or command-line interface, you might see something like this:

Example as shown below:

Root Cause:

Misconfiguration of the web server has led to file list disclosure and the data is publicly available.

Impact:

The attacker can display the whole list of files in the backup directory. This directory includes sensitive files such as password files, database files, FTP logs, and PHP scripts. It is obvious that this information was not intended for public view.

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