CVE-2003-0676 in One Directory Server
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in ViewLog for iPlanet Administration Server 5.1 (aka Sun ONE) allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via "..%2f" (partially encoded dot dot) sequences.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-0676 represents a critical directory traversal flaw within the ViewLog component of iPlanet Administration Server 5.1, commonly known as Sun ONE. This security weakness arises from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before processing file requests. The flaw specifically manifests when the application processes partially encoded directory traversal sequences, allowing malicious actors to bypass normal file access restrictions and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive system files.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the server's failure to adequately decode and validate URL-encoded sequences. Attackers can leverage the "..%2f" pattern where %2f represents the forward slash character in URL encoding, creating a partially encoded traversal sequence that bypasses basic validation checks. This allows the attacker to navigate directories beyond the intended scope of the application's file access mechanisms, potentially accessing system configuration files, log files, or other sensitive data that should remain protected from unauthorized access.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to organizations relying on iPlanet Administration Server 5.1 for their web services infrastructure. The remote nature of the exploit means that attackers can leverage this weakness without requiring local system access or authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous for systems exposed to untrusted networks. Successful exploitation could lead to information disclosure, system compromise, and potential further lateral movement within the network infrastructure, especially if sensitive configuration data or credentials are accessible through the traversed directories.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks. This weakness is categorized under the broader class of input validation vulnerabilities and represents a fundamental flaw in the application's security design that fails to properly enforce access controls on file system operations. The ATT&CK framework would classify this as part of the credential access and privilege escalation tactics, as it enables attackers to gather sensitive information that could be used for further compromise of the system.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches or updates, implementing proper input validation mechanisms, and configuring web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious traversal patterns. Additional protective measures include restricting access to administrative interfaces, implementing strict file access controls, and conducting comprehensive security audits of all web applications to identify similar vulnerabilities. The remediation process should also involve monitoring for exploitation attempts and ensuring that all system components are updated to prevent similar issues in the future, particularly focusing on proper URL decoding and validation routines that prevent partially encoded sequences from bypassing security controls.