CVE-2006-2102 in PowerISO
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in PowerISO 2.9 allows remote attackers to write arbitrary files via a .. (dot dot) in a filename in an ISO image.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/25/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-2102 represents a critical directory traversal flaw within PowerISO version 2.9 that enables remote attackers to manipulate file system operations through crafted ISO image files. This weakness stems from insufficient input validation and path sanitization mechanisms within the software's handling of archive file contents, particularly when processing filenames containing directory traversal sequences.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when PowerISO processes ISO images that contain filenames with ".." sequences that should be interpreted as parent directory references. When the application fails to properly sanitize these paths during extraction or processing operations, attackers can manipulate the target directory structure to write files outside of intended locations. This flaw operates at the file system level where the application's path resolution logic does not adequately validate or restrict directory traversal attempts, allowing arbitrary file creation or modification in potentially sensitive system locations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple file manipulation to encompass potential system compromise scenarios. Attackers could leverage this weakness to place malicious executables, configuration files, or other harmful content in critical system directories, potentially enabling privilege escalation or persistent access mechanisms. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require local system access, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where ISO files might be processed automatically by applications or through web-based interfaces.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as a classic example of CWE-22 Directory Traversal weakness, which falls under the broader category of path manipulation attacks that have been consistently identified as critical threats in software security assessments. The ATT&CK framework would classify this under T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter and potentially T1566 Phishing with Malicious Attachments, as the vulnerability could be exploited through malicious ISO files delivered via email or web downloads. Organizations using PowerISO or similar archive processing software should implement immediate mitigations including input validation, restricted user permissions for processing operations, and regular software updates to address this known weakness.
The remediation approach for this vulnerability requires comprehensive path validation mechanisms that properly sanitize all file paths before processing operations. System administrators should disable automatic processing of untrusted ISO files, implement strict file access controls, and ensure that any file extraction operations are performed within confined directories that prevent traversal beyond intended boundaries. Additionally, the software vendor should provide patches that implement proper path normalization and validation routines to prevent the exploitation of directory traversal sequences in filename handling operations.