CVE-2005-4250 in mcGallery PRO
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in mcGallery PRO 2.2 and earlier allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via the language parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/17/2025
The directory traversal vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-4250 affects mcGallery PRO version 2.2 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw that enables remote attackers to access arbitrary files on the affected system. This vulnerability specifically targets the language parameter handling within the application, demonstrating poor input validation and sanitization practices that allow attackers to manipulate file paths and gain unauthorized access to sensitive data. The flaw resides in the application's inability to properly validate user-supplied input before using it in file system operations, creating an avenue for attackers to traverse directory structures and access files outside the intended application scope.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to sanitize the language parameter input, which is typically used to determine the language files to load for the user interface. When attackers supply malicious input containing directory traversal sequences such as "../" or similar path manipulation techniques, the application processes these inputs without proper validation, allowing them to navigate to arbitrary file locations on the server. This weakness directly maps to CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal vulnerabilities. The vulnerability enables attackers to access not only configuration files but potentially sensitive data, system files, and other resources that should remain protected from unauthorized access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with the capability to access critical system components that could lead to further exploitation. An attacker could potentially read database configuration files, application source code, system credentials, or other sensitive information that could be used for privilege escalation or additional attack vectors. The remote nature of this vulnerability means that attackers do not require local access or physical presence to exploit the flaw, making it particularly dangerous in web-facing applications. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1083, which covers directory and file permissions enumeration, as the attacker can systematically explore the file system to identify valuable targets.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-4250 must focus on implementing proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms to prevent directory traversal attacks. The most effective approach involves implementing strict input validation that filters out or rejects any input containing directory traversal sequences, ensuring that all user-supplied parameters are validated against a whitelist of acceptable values. Additionally, developers should implement proper file path resolution that does not allow relative path components to affect the final file location. The application should be configured to run with minimal required privileges and implement proper access controls to limit what files can be accessed even if an attacker successfully exploits the vulnerability. System administrators should also ensure that the mcGallery PRO application is updated to version 2.3 or later, where this vulnerability has been addressed through proper input validation and sanitization measures. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the application stack, as directory traversal vulnerabilities often occur in multiple locations within complex web applications.