CVE-2006-1028 in Joomla
Summary
by MITRE
feedcreator.class.php (aka the syndication component) in Joomla! 1.0.7 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (stressed file cache) by creating many files via filenames in the feed parameter to index.php.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-1028 represents a significant denial of service weakness within Joomla! version 1.0.7's syndication component. This flaw exists in the feedcreator.class.php file which handles RSS and Atom feed generation functionality. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and file system handling mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize or limit the feed parameter values passed to the index.php script. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious feed parameter values that result in the creation of numerous files within the system's cache directory, ultimately leading to resource exhaustion and system unavailability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates poor security practices in file system management and input sanitization. When the feed parameter contains specially crafted filenames, the feedcreator.class.php component processes these inputs without proper validation, causing the system to create an excessive number of cache files. This behavior directly relates to CWE-400, which addresses unchecked resource consumption vulnerabilities. The flaw operates by leveraging the component's file creation logic to generate numerous small files in the cache directory, which can quickly overwhelm available disk space and inode limits, causing the system to become unresponsive or crash entirely.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a serious risk to Joomla! 1.0.7 installations, particularly those handling high traffic or serving as content delivery platforms. The stress placed on the file cache system can result in complete service disruption, requiring manual intervention to clean up the cache directory and restore normal operations. The impact extends beyond simple denial of service as the excessive file creation can also affect system performance and potentially compromise other services running on the same infrastructure. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which covers network denial of service attacks through resource exhaustion.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and rate limiting mechanisms within the feed parameter handling. System administrators should immediately upgrade to a patched version of Joomla! 1.0.7 as this specific vulnerability was addressed in subsequent releases. Additionally, implementing file system quotas and monitoring for unusual file creation patterns can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The solution requires strengthening the feedcreator.class.php component to validate and sanitize all feed parameter inputs, ensuring that filenames do not result in excessive file creation. Organizations should also consider implementing automated cleanup processes for temporary cache directories and establishing monitoring protocols to detect resource exhaustion conditions before they lead to complete system outages.