CVE-2004-1986 in Photo Gallery
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in modules.php in Coppermine Photo Gallery 1.2.2b and 1.2.0 RC4 allows remote attackers with administrative privileges to read arbitrary files via a .. (dot dot) in the startdir parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/18/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2004-1986 represents a critical directory traversal flaw within the Coppermine Photo Gallery web application, specifically affecting versions 1.2.2b and 1.2.0 RC4. This vulnerability resides in the modules.php file and fundamentally compromises the application's file access controls by allowing unauthorized file system access through manipulated input parameters. The flaw specifically manifests when an attacker with administrative privileges manipulates the startdir parameter using directory traversal sequences such as .. (dot dot), which enables them to navigate beyond the intended directory boundaries and access arbitrary files on the server filesystem.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the Coppermine application's file handling mechanisms. When the startdir parameter is processed without proper restrictions or canonicalization, the application fails to prevent path traversal sequences from being interpreted as legitimate directory navigation commands. This allows attackers to craft malicious URLs that bypass normal file access controls and potentially retrieve sensitive files such as configuration files, database credentials, or other system resources that should remain protected from unauthorized access. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited through HTTP requests that manipulate the modules.php script's parameter handling logic.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations using affected versions of Coppermine Photo Gallery, particularly those with administrative accounts that may be compromised. The attack vector requires only administrative privileges, which significantly reduces the attack surface compared to vulnerabilities requiring user authentication or other prerequisites. Successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and potential lateral movement within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it allows access to arbitrary files, meaning attackers could potentially retrieve not only application-specific files but also system configuration files, user data, or other sensitive information stored on the server.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-22, which categorizes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal. The flaw also maps to ATT&CK technique T1083, which covers discovering file and directory permissions, as the vulnerability enables attackers to access files they would normally be restricted from reading. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches, implementing proper input validation for all file path parameters, and restricting administrative access to authenticated users only. Additionally, network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional layers of protection against exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of input validation and proper access controls in web applications, particularly those handling file system operations.