CVE-2005-1230 in Yawcam
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in Yawcam 0.2.5 allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via "..\" (dot dot backslash) sequences in a GET request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/01/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1230 represents a critical directory traversal flaw in Yawcam version 0.2.5, a webcam software application designed for remote monitoring and surveillance purposes. This vulnerability specifically affects the application's handling of file paths within HTTP GET requests, creating a significant security risk that enables unauthorized access to sensitive system resources. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and path sanitization mechanisms within the application's web interface, which processes user-supplied file path parameters without proper security checks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the fundamental weakness in how the application processes backslash sequences in file path requests. When a remote attacker crafts a malicious GET request containing "..\" sequences, the application fails to properly validate or sanitize these path traversal attempts. This allows the software to interpret the malicious input as legitimate file access commands, effectively bypassing normal file system access controls. The vulnerability specifically leverages the Windows-style backslash character sequence, which when processed by the vulnerable application, can navigate upward through directory structures and access files outside the intended web root or application directory boundaries. This represents a classic path traversal vulnerability that has been documented extensively in security literature and commonly affects web applications that do not properly validate user input.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple unauthorized file access, as it provides attackers with the ability to read arbitrary files from the system where Yawcam is installed. This includes potentially sensitive configuration files, user credentials, system logs, and other confidential data that may be stored within the application's directory structure. The implications are particularly severe for surveillance applications like Yawcam, as the vulnerability could expose not only system-level files but potentially webcam capture data, user authentication information, and other sensitive operational data. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to gain comprehensive access to the underlying system, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and further lateral movement within network environments where the vulnerable application resides.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the application's web interface. The most effective approach involves filtering and rejecting any input containing directory traversal sequences such as "..\", "\\", or similar patterns that could enable path manipulation. Security practitioners should implement strict path validation that ensures all file access requests remain within designated safe directories and do not attempt to navigate beyond the intended application boundaries. Organizations should also consider implementing proper access controls and authentication mechanisms to limit who can access the vulnerable web interface, while also ensuring that all systems running Yawcam are updated to the latest available versions where this vulnerability has been addressed. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-22, which specifically addresses improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, and represents a common attack vector that has been catalogued in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under techniques related to privilege escalation and credential access through path traversal attacks. Given the age of this vulnerability and the specific version affected, users should prioritize upgrading to supported versions or implementing network-level restrictions to prevent exploitation of this known weakness.