CVE-2004-2516 in myServer
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in myServer 0.7 allows remote attackers to list arbitrary directories via an HTTP GET command with a large number of "./" sequences followed by "../" sequences.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/28/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-2516 represents a directory traversal flaw in myServer version 0.7 that enables remote attackers to access arbitrary directories on the affected system. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of path traversal attacks and is classified as CWE-22 according to the Common Weakness Enumeration framework. The vulnerability specifically exploits how the web server handles HTTP GET requests containing specially crafted sequences of directory navigation commands.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability relies on the improper validation of user-supplied input within the HTTP request processing logic of myServer. When an attacker sends a GET request containing an excessive number of "./" sequences followed by "../" sequences, the server fails to adequately sanitize or normalize the path components. This allows the attacker to manipulate the file system path resolution mechanism and access directories outside the intended web root. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it does not require authentication and can be exploited remotely, making it accessible to any attacker with network access to the affected server.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it provides unauthorized access to potentially sensitive directories and files on the server. Attackers can leverage this weakness to enumerate directory structures, access configuration files, retrieve source code, and potentially gain further access to the underlying system. The vulnerability creates a persistent security risk that can be exploited for reconnaissance, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation depending on the server configuration and file permissions. This type of attack aligns with techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) tactic, where adversaries attempt to map the file system structure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of the myServer software to version 0.7.1 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for path traversal validation. System administrators should also implement input validation mechanisms that normalize and sanitize all user-supplied path data before processing. Additional defensive measures include configuring the web server to reject requests containing excessive directory traversal sequences, implementing proper access controls, and monitoring for suspicious HTTP GET requests that contain unusual path components. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can also help detect and block malicious requests attempting to exploit this vulnerability. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and path normalization in web server implementations to prevent unauthorized access to system resources.