CVE-2005-0436 in awstats
Summary
by MITRE
Direct code injection vulnerability in awstats.pl in AWStats 6.3 and 6.4 allows remote attackers to execute portions of Perl code via the PluginMode parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/19/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0436 represents a critical direct code injection flaw within the AWStats web statistics tool version 6.3 and 6.4. This vulnerability specifically affects the awstats.pl script which is commonly used for analyzing web server log files and generating detailed statistics about website traffic. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the PluginMode parameter processing logic, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject and execute arbitrary Perl code on the affected system.
This vulnerability operates through a classic injection attack vector where the PluginMode parameter is not properly validated or escaped before being processed by the Perl interpreter. When an attacker submits malicious input through this parameter, the web application directly incorporates this input into the execution context without proper sanitization, allowing the attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the server with the privileges of the web application. The vulnerability falls under CWE-94, which specifically addresses "Improper Control of Generation of Code" and represents a severe code injection weakness that can lead to complete system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data manipulation or information disclosure. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can execute arbitrary commands on the target system, potentially leading to full system compromise, data exfiltration, or the establishment of persistent backdoors. The remote nature of this attack means that exploitation can occur from any location with network access to the vulnerable web server, making it particularly dangerous for publicly accessible systems. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.006, which covers "Command and Scripting Interpreter: Perl", demonstrating how attackers can leverage existing system tools to execute malicious code.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires minimal technical skill and can be automated using various attack frameworks, making it particularly attractive to threat actors. The attack surface is broad as AWStats is widely deployed across organizations for web analytics, meaning that numerous systems could potentially be affected. Organizations using these vulnerable versions should immediately implement mitigations including input validation, parameter sanitization, and access control measures to prevent unauthorized code execution. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of proper input validation and output encoding in web applications, particularly when dealing with user-supplied data that may be processed by interpreted languages such as Perl.
Security practitioners should also consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts, as the malicious payloads would likely include recognizable patterns of Perl code execution. Regular security updates and patch management processes become essential for maintaining system integrity, as this vulnerability was addressed in subsequent releases of the AWStats software. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of the affected software versions and ensure proper remediation measures are in place to prevent potential exploitation. The incident underscores the necessity of maintaining up-to-date security practices and the importance of regular security audits to identify and address similar vulnerabilities across the entire system infrastructure.