CVE-2006-0873 in Photo Gallery
Summary
by MITRE
Absolute path traversal vulnerability in docs/showdocs.php in Coppermine Photo Gallery 1.4.3 and earlier allows remote attackers to include arbitrary files via the f parameter, and possibly remote files using UNC share pathnames.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/15/2019
The CVE-2006-0873 vulnerability represents a critical absolute path traversal flaw within the Coppermine Photo Gallery 1.4.3 and earlier versions, specifically affecting the docs/showdocs.php component. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and improper file handling mechanisms that allow malicious actors to manipulate the f parameter to include arbitrary files from the system. The flaw exists in the application's document viewing functionality where user-supplied input is directly incorporated into file inclusion operations without adequate sanitization or access control measures.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the f parameter in the showdocs.php script, which enables attackers to traverse the file system hierarchy and access files that should remain protected. When an attacker supplies a specially crafted path in the f parameter, the application fails to validate the input properly, allowing the inclusion of files from arbitrary locations on the server. This particular vulnerability is especially concerning because it can potentially be exploited to include remote files using UNC share pathnames, extending the attack surface beyond local file system access to network-based file inclusion.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security risks for organizations utilizing affected Coppermine Photo Gallery versions. Attackers can leverage this flaw to access sensitive files such as configuration files, database credentials, application source code, and potentially system files that could lead to complete system compromise. The vulnerability essentially allows unauthorized file access and inclusion, which can result in data breaches, privilege escalation, and unauthorized system control. The ability to include remote files through UNC share pathnames particularly increases the risk of remote code execution or lateral movement within network environments.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-22, which categorizes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks. This weakness enables attackers to access files and directories that are stored outside the intended directory, by manipulating input to contain sequences such as "../" to navigate the file system. Additionally, this vulnerability relates to ATT&CK technique T1059, which involves executing malicious code through file inclusion methods, and T1078, which covers valid accounts and legitimate credentials for system access. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader attack surface assessment and implement comprehensive mitigation strategies including immediate patching, input validation enforcement, and network segmentation to prevent exploitation.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems to Coppermine Photo Gallery versions 1.4.4 and later, which contain the necessary fixes for this vulnerability. Additionally, administrators should implement strict input validation and sanitization for all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in file inclusion operations. Network-level protections such as firewall rules and web application firewalls should be configured to monitor and restrict access to sensitive file paths. The implementation of principle of least privilege access controls and regular security audits of web applications will help prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in the future. Organizations should also consider implementing file inclusion whitelisting mechanisms and conducting thorough code reviews to identify and remediate similar path traversal vulnerabilities in other applications.