CVE-2001-1196 in Webmin
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in edit_action.cgi of Webmin Directory 0.91 allows attackers to gain privileges via a .. (dot dot) in the argument.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/12/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2001-1196 represents a critical directory traversal flaw within the Webmin Directory 0.91 software package. This vulnerability specifically affects the edit_action.cgi component, which is a core administrative interface function designed to manage user accounts and system configurations. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied parameters before processing them within the file system operations. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious requests containing directory traversal sequences such as .. (dot dot) in the argument parameters, allowing them to navigate beyond the intended directory boundaries and access restricted system files or directories.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability operates through a classic path traversal attack vector where the application fails to validate or filter out special characters that indicate directory navigation. When the edit_action.cgi script processes user input containing .. sequences, it does not adequately sanitize or canonicalize the paths before performing file operations, resulting in the application interpreting these sequences as legitimate navigation commands rather than malicious input. This allows an attacker to traverse the file system hierarchy and potentially access sensitive configuration files, system binaries, or other restricted resources that should normally be protected from direct access. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-22 which defines improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized file access, as it provides attackers with potential privilege escalation capabilities within the Webmin administrative interface. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to read sensitive system information, modify critical configuration files, or even execute arbitrary commands if the application has sufficient privileges. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because Webmin serves as a centralized administrative interface for system management, making it an attractive target for attackers seeking to gain persistent access to compromised systems. Additionally, the vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the entire system, as it allows unauthorized access to administrative functions that should be restricted to authorized personnel only.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2001-1196 should focus on implementing proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the affected application. System administrators should immediately upgrade to patched versions of Webmin Directory or apply the appropriate security patches released by the vendor to address this vulnerability. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit direct access to administrative interfaces, while monitoring systems should be configured to detect suspicious directory traversal attempts. The implementation of web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of protection against exploitation attempts. Security best practices recommend following the principle of least privilege for administrative interfaces and implementing proper authentication mechanisms to prevent unauthorized access to critical system management functions. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications and ensure comprehensive protection against path traversal attacks as outlined in the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques.