CVE-2005-3490 in Video Security Online
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in the web server in Asus Video Security 3.5.0.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via "../" or "..\" sequences in the URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/29/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-3490 represents a critical directory traversal flaw within the web server component of Asus Video Security software version 3.5.0.0 and earlier releases. This weakness stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied URL parameters containing directory navigation sequences. The vulnerability specifically affects the web server functionality that processes HTTP requests and handles file access operations, creating an exploitable condition where malicious actors can manipulate file paths through carefully crafted URL parameters.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows remote attackers to bypass normal file access restrictions by injecting directory traversal sequences such as "../" or "..\" into the URL structure. When the web server processes these malformed requests, it interprets the traversal sequences and attempts to access files outside of the intended directory structure. This occurs because the application fails to validate or filter out these special characters that represent parent directory navigation in file systems. The flaw exists at the application layer where user input directly influences file system operations without proper sanitization or access control enforcement.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables unauthorized access to sensitive files on the affected system. Attackers can potentially retrieve configuration files, authentication credentials, system logs, and other confidential data that should remain protected within the application's designated directories. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries do not require physical access to the system or local network privileges to exploit this weakness. This vulnerability directly violates security principles of least privilege and proper input validation, creating a pathway for information disclosure that could lead to further compromise of the affected infrastructure. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-22, which specifically addresses improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve implementing robust input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the web server component of Asus Video Security. Organizations should immediately upgrade to patched versions of the software where available, as the vendor would have addressed the directory traversal issue through proper parameter validation and path normalization. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and restricting file system permissions can help limit the damage if exploitation occurs. Network segmentation and firewall rules can be deployed to restrict access to the affected web server components, while web application firewalls may provide additional protection against malformed URL requests. The remediation process should also include comprehensive security testing of all input handling mechanisms to ensure similar vulnerabilities are not present in other parts of the application. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of validating user input at all layers of application processing and adheres to ATT&CK technique T1083 for discovering files and directories, as attackers can enumerate and access restricted system resources through this pathway.