CVE-2000-0066 is a medium severity vulnerability affecting WebSite Pro, a web server software product by O'Reilly, specifically versions 2.3.18 and 2.4.9. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to determine the real pathname of web directories on the server by sending a malformed URL request. This information disclosure flaw does not require authentication and can be exploited over the network without user interaction. The attacker can leverage this vulnerability to gain insight into the underlying file system structure of the web server, which can be valuable for planning further attacks such as directory traversal, file inclusion, or privilege escalation. The CVSS score of 5.0 reflects that the vulnerability impacts confidentiality by exposing sensitive path information but does not affect integrity or availability. No patches are available for this vulnerability, and there are no known exploits in the wild, indicating limited active exploitation. However, the disclosure of real pathnames can aid attackers in crafting more targeted and effective attacks against the affected web servers. Given the age of the vulnerability (published in 2000), it is likely that affected versions are largely obsolete, but legacy systems may still be at risk.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2000-0066 primarily lies in the potential exposure of internal directory structures of web servers running vulnerable versions of WebSite Pro. This information disclosure can facilitate reconnaissance activities by attackers, enabling them to identify sensitive directories or files that may be targeted in subsequent attacks. While the vulnerability itself does not directly compromise data integrity or availability, it lowers the barrier for attackers to exploit other vulnerabilities or misconfigurations. Organizations relying on legacy web infrastructure or those with insufficient patch management may be at risk. The exposure of internal pathnames could also contravene data protection regulations if it leads to further breaches involving personal or sensitive data. Given the lack of patches, organizations must consider alternative mitigation strategies to reduce exposure. The threat is more relevant to organizations with legacy systems in sectors such as government, education, or industries where older software may still be in use.

Since no official patches are available for this vulnerability, European organizations should implement compensating controls to mitigate risk. First, they should identify and inventory any instances of WebSite Pro versions 2.3.18 or 2.4.9 in their environment and plan for immediate upgrade or replacement with modern, supported web server software. If upgrading is not immediately feasible, organizations should restrict external access to affected servers using network segmentation and firewall rules to limit exposure to trusted networks only. Web application firewalls (WAFs) can be configured to detect and block malformed URL requests that attempt to exploit this vulnerability. Additionally, disabling directory listing and ensuring proper web server configuration can reduce information leakage. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to detect any information disclosure issues. Finally, organizations should monitor logs for suspicious requests indicative of reconnaissance attempts targeting path disclosure.