CVE-2006-0872 in Photo Gallery
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in init.inc.php in Coppermine Photo Gallery 1.4.3 and earlier allows remote attackers to include arbitrary files via a .. (dot dot) sequence and trailing NULL (%00) byte in the lang parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/19/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-0872 represents a critical directory traversal flaw within the Coppermine Photo Gallery application version 1.4.3 and earlier. This vulnerability exists in the init.inc.php file and specifically targets the language parameter handling mechanism. The flaw enables remote attackers to manipulate the application's file inclusion process by exploiting improper input validation techniques that fail to sanitize user-supplied parameters before processing.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability relies on the concatenation of directory traversal sequences using the .. (dot dot) notation combined with a trailing NULL byte encoded as %00. This combination allows attackers to bypass normal file access restrictions and traverse the filesystem to access arbitrary files on the server. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly validate and sanitize the lang parameter, which is directly used in file inclusion operations without adequate security controls. This type of flaw falls under the CWE-22 category, which specifically addresses improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides attackers with the ability to access sensitive files that may contain database credentials, configuration settings, application source code, or other confidential information. Successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise, unauthorized data access, and potential privilege escalation within the application environment. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to retrieve critical system files, inject malicious code, or establish persistent access to the affected server. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require local access or credentials to exploit the flaw, making it particularly dangerous in publicly accessible web applications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate application patching to version 1.4.4 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. Additionally, administrators should implement input validation controls that sanitize all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in file inclusion operations. The implementation of proper path validation techniques, including whitelisting of allowed language parameters, can prevent attackers from manipulating the application's file access mechanisms. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers the exploitation of remote services through various attack vectors including directory traversal and file inclusion vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other application components, as this type of vulnerability often indicates broader input validation issues within the application architecture.