CVE-2001-1160 in uDirectory
Summary
by MITRE
udirectory.pl in Microburst Technologies uDirectory 2.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters in the category_file field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/24/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2001-1160 represents a critical command injection flaw within the udirectory.pl script of Microburst Technologies uDirectory 2.0 and earlier versions. This security weakness resides in the handling of user input within the category_file parameter, creating an avenue for remote attackers to execute arbitrary system commands on the affected server. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly filter or escape shell metacharacters, allowing malicious payloads to be interpreted and executed by the underlying operating system shell.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker submits specially crafted input containing shell metacharacters such as semicolons, ampersands, or backticks into the category_file field of the udirectory.pl script. These characters are interpreted by the system shell as command separators or operators, enabling the execution of unintended commands with the privileges of the web server process. This type of vulnerability maps directly to CWE-78, which specifically addresses Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in OS Command Injection attacks, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter. The flaw essentially allows attackers to bypass normal access controls and execute arbitrary code on the target system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it provides attackers with complete control over the affected server. Successful exploitation can lead to unauthorized data access, system compromise, privilege escalation, and potential lateral movement within the network. Attackers may leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive information, or use the compromised system as a launch point for further attacks against other network resources. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur from anywhere on the internet without requiring local access or authentication, making it particularly dangerous for web-facing systems. Organizations using affected versions of uDirectory face significant risk of unauthorized system access and potential data breaches.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2001-1160 should focus on immediate remediation through patching or upgrading to a non-vulnerable version of the uDirectory software. System administrators should implement proper input validation and sanitization measures to prevent shell metacharacters from being processed as command input. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by running web applications with minimal required permissions, and input should be properly escaped or filtered before being passed to any system shell commands. Network segmentation and firewall rules can help limit the attack surface, while regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of protection against exploitation attempts targeting this type of command injection vulnerability.