CVE-2006-0847 in CherryPy
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in the staticfilter component in CherryPy before 2.1.1 allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via ".." sequences in unspecified vectors.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/14/2019
The directory traversal vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-0847 affects the staticfilter component within CherryPy web framework versions prior to 2.1.1. This vulnerability represents a classic path traversal flaw that enables remote attackers to access files outside the intended directory structure. The issue manifests through the use of ".." sequences in unspecified vectors, allowing malicious actors to navigate through the file system hierarchy and retrieve unauthorized content. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous in web applications as they can expose sensitive data including configuration files, source code, and system credentials that should remain protected from external access.
The technical flaw resides in the insufficient validation of file paths within the staticfilter component, which fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input containing directory traversal sequences. When CherryPy processes requests containing ".." sequences in file paths, the application does not adequately verify that the requested file remains within the designated static directory boundaries. This allows attackers to craft malicious requests that bypass normal access controls and traverse upward through the directory structure to access files that should be restricted. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited without requiring authentication or special privileges, making it particularly dangerous in environments where web applications serve static content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it can lead to complete system compromise when attackers gain access to configuration files, database credentials, or application source code. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to obtain sensitive information that may include database connection strings, API keys, and other confidential data stored in configuration files. The vulnerability also enables potential further exploitation through the access to source code, which may reveal additional security flaws or provide insights into the application architecture. In enterprise environments, this could result in significant data breaches, compliance violations, and potential regulatory penalties due to unauthorized data access.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2006-0847 should prioritize immediate patching of affected CherryPy installations to version 2.1.1 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the directory traversal vulnerability. Organizations should implement robust input validation mechanisms that sanitize all user-supplied file paths and reject any requests containing directory traversal sequences. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by configuring web servers to restrict access to sensitive directories and implementing proper access controls that prevent unauthorized file system navigation. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious file access patterns and directory traversal attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-22, which specifically addresses improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, and falls under ATT&CK technique T1083 for discovering files and directories, making it a critical concern for security teams implementing defense-in-depth strategies.