CVE-2005-0689 in The Includer
Summary
by MITRE
includer.cgi in The Includer allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters in (1) the URL or (2) the template parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/29/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0689 resides within The Includer application's includer.cgi script, representing a critical remote command execution flaw that enables attackers to manipulate the application's behavior through carefully crafted input parameters. This vulnerability specifically targets the handling of URL and template parameters, where the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before processing, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject shell metacharacters that are subsequently interpreted and executed by the underlying operating system.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through two primary attack vectors that leverage the application's insufficient input validation mechanisms. When an attacker supplies shell metacharacters within either the URL parameter or the template parameter, the includer.cgi script processes these inputs without adequate sanitization, allowing the operating system to interpret and execute the malicious commands as if they were legitimate system instructions. This represents a classic command injection vulnerability where user-controllable data flows directly into system execution contexts, bypassing normal security controls and authorization mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data theft or service disruption, as successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive resources. Attackers can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary commands on the affected server, potentially gaining shell access, escalating privileges, accessing confidential data, or using the compromised system as a launch point for further attacks within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers need not have physical access to the system, making it particularly dangerous for web-facing applications that are accessible to the general internet population.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-94 categories within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, specifically representing a command injection flaw that permits arbitrary code execution through improper input validation. The attack pattern corresponds to the MITRE ATT&CK framework's technique T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, where adversaries execute commands through legitimate system interfaces. Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and sanitization of all user-supplied parameters, proper parameter escaping, and the implementation of a web application firewall to detect and block malicious payloads targeting this specific vulnerability pattern.
The remediation approach requires comprehensive application-level fixes that address the root cause of the vulnerability through proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. System administrators should ensure that all user-controllable inputs are rigorously validated against expected formats and character sets, with any suspicious or unexpected characters either rejected or properly escaped before processing. Additionally, implementing least privilege principles for the web application's execution context can limit the potential damage from successful exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar input validation weaknesses that may exist in other components of the application stack, as this vulnerability pattern frequently appears in legacy web applications that lack modern security controls and input sanitization mechanisms.