CVE-2006-0508 in Easy CMS
Summary
by MITRE
Easy CMS stores the images directory under the web document root with insufficient access control and browsing enabled, which allows remote attackers to list and possibly read images that are stored in that directory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/02/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-0508 represents a critical misconfiguration in Easy CMS that exposes sensitive image assets to unauthorized remote access. This issue stems from improper directory structure management where the images directory is positioned directly within the web document root, creating an inherent security flaw that violates fundamental web application security principles. The configuration allows for directory browsing to be enabled, which means that any authenticated or unauthenticated user can traverse the file system through the web interface and potentially access files that should remain restricted.
The technical flaw manifests through insufficient access control mechanisms that fail to properly enforce authorization checks when serving files from the images directory. This weakness creates a path traversal vulnerability that enables attackers to enumerate directory contents and access image files that may contain sensitive information such as user uploads, system documentation, or proprietary assets. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited through standard web browser interactions, making it particularly dangerous as it requires no specialized tools beyond basic web browsing capabilities. This type of vulnerability maps directly to CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, and CWE-23, which covers improper restriction of operations within a limited context.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can lead to unauthorized access to potentially sensitive user-generated content, system documentation, or other confidential assets stored within the images directory. Attackers can systematically browse through the directory structure to identify and download files that may contain personal information, internal communications, or other data that should remain protected. The consequences can include data breaches, privacy violations, and potential compliance violations depending on the nature of the content stored in these directories. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213.002, which involves data from information repositories, and T1083, which covers file and directory discovery.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate configuration changes that address the root cause of the issue. The primary remediation involves moving the images directory outside of the web document root and implementing proper access control mechanisms that enforce authorization checks before serving any files. Organizations should disable directory browsing features in their web servers and implement proper file access controls that ensure only authorized users can access specific files within the images directory. Additionally, regular security audits should be conducted to verify that no other directories are improperly exposed within the web root, and that access controls are properly enforced throughout the application. The implementation of proper input validation and access control lists can help prevent similar issues from occurring in other parts of the application, while also ensuring compliance with security standards such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks.