CVE-2006-1062 in lurker
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in lurker.cgi for Lurker 2.0 and earlier allows attackers to read arbitrary files via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/21/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-1062 affects Lurker 2.0 and earlier versions, specifically within the lurker.cgi component which serves as a web interface for accessing archived email messages. This represents a critical security flaw that enables unauthorized access to sensitive information through unspecified attack vectors. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and file access controls within the CGI script, creating potential pathways for malicious actors to bypass normal access restrictions and retrieve confidential data from the system.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal attacks. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious input that manipulates the file access mechanisms within lurker.cgi to traverse directory structures and access files outside the intended scope. The unspecified vectors suggest that multiple attack surfaces may be compromised, potentially including direct file system access through parameter manipulation or other input injection techniques that allow arbitrary file reading capabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it can lead to comprehensive system compromise when combined with other attack vectors. Organizations utilizing affected Lurker versions face significant risks including unauthorized access to archived email communications, potential disclosure of sensitive business information, and exposure of system configuration files that may contain credentials or other privileged data. The vulnerability's severity is amplified by the fact that it affects the core web interface functionality, making it accessible through standard web browser interactions without requiring specialized tools or extensive technical knowledge.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate remediation through software updates to versions that address the file access control issues. System administrators should implement network segmentation to limit access to the affected CGI interface and consider implementing web application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious requests. Additionally, regular security audits should be conducted to identify and address similar vulnerabilities in legacy web applications, as the attack surface for such path traversal flaws often extends beyond the immediate vulnerability. Organizations should also establish proper access controls and authentication mechanisms to reduce the impact of potential exploitation attempts, while maintaining comprehensive logging and monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and proper access control implementation in web applications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1213 for data from information repositories and T1566 for credential access through various attack vectors.