CVE-2002-2233 in Enceladus Server Suite
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in Enceladus Server Suite 3.9 allows remote attackers to list arbitrary directories and possibly cause a denial of service via "@" (at) characters in a CD (CWD) command, such as (1) "@/....\", (2) "@@@/..c:\", or (3) "@/..@/..".
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/20/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-2233 represents a critical directory traversal flaw within the Enceladus Server Suite version 3.9, specifically affecting the CD (Change Directory) command implementation. This security weakness enables remote attackers to manipulate directory navigation commands through the strategic use of "@" characters, potentially gaining unauthorized access to arbitrary directories on the affected system. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the server's command processing logic, allowing maliciously crafted directory paths to bypass normal access controls and traverse the file system hierarchy.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves crafting specific CD commands that incorporate "" characters in combination with directory traversal sequences such as "/....\", @/..c:\, or "/../..". These malformed commands exploit the server's failure to properly validate and sanitize user input before processing directory navigation requests. The "@" character serves as a delimiter or modifier in the command parsing process, which when combined with conventional directory traversal patterns like "..\", creates opportunities for attackers to access directories outside the intended scope. This flaw operates at the application layer and demonstrates a classic path traversal vulnerability pattern that has been documented in numerous security assessments and standards frameworks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable complete system compromise and denial of service conditions. Remote attackers can leverage this weakness to enumerate directory structures, access sensitive files, and potentially execute arbitrary code depending on the server's configuration and permissions. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the system by allowing unauthorized access to files and directories that should remain protected, while also creating opportunities for service disruption through resource exhaustion or system instability. This type of vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can result in significant data breaches or system compromise when exploited in conjunction with other attack vectors.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and sanitization of all user-supplied data, particularly in directory navigation commands. The implementation of proper path normalization techniques and strict validation of directory traversal sequences can prevent exploitation of this vulnerability. Organizations should also consider applying the principle of least privilege to limit directory access permissions and implement network segmentation to restrict access to critical systems. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-22 (Path Traversal) and represents a common attack pattern documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under techniques related to privilege escalation and lateral movement. System administrators should also deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious directory traversal patterns and ensure that all server software is updated to the latest versions that address this specific vulnerability.