CVE-2006-2118 in Jmk Picture Gallery
Summary
by MITRE
JMK s Picture Gallery allows remote attackers to bypass authentication via a direct request to admin_gallery.php3, possibly related to the add action.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/05/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-2118 affects JMK s Picture Gallery, a web-based image management system that was widely used in the mid-2000s for hosting and organizing digital photo collections. This authentication bypass flaw represents a critical security weakness that allows unauthenticated remote attackers to gain administrative access to the gallery system without proper credentials. The vulnerability specifically manifests when users attempt to access the admin_gallery.php3 endpoint directly, which should normally require valid administrative authentication before granting access to gallery management functions.
The technical flaw stems from improper input validation and access control implementation within the application's authentication mechanism. When an attacker makes a direct request to the admin_gallery.php3 file, the system fails to properly verify whether the requesting user possesses administrative privileges. This weakness likely occurs due to insufficient session management checks or flawed authorization logic that does not adequately validate user credentials before executing administrative functions. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it allows attackers to bypass the normal authentication flow entirely, potentially enabling them to modify gallery settings, upload malicious files, delete content, or access sensitive configuration data. This type of flaw falls under CWE-285 which addresses improper authorization issues in software systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to include potential data compromise and system takeover. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could manipulate the entire picture gallery, including modifying or deleting user-uploaded images, altering gallery configurations, and potentially using the compromised system as a launching point for further attacks against the hosting environment. The direct nature of the attack vector means that exploitation requires minimal technical skill and can be performed from any remote location with internet access. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers legitimate credentials usage and privilege escalation through improper access control mechanisms.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including restricting direct access to administrative endpoints, implementing proper authentication checks at all entry points, and ensuring that session management follows secure coding practices. The most effective immediate fix would involve modifying the admin_gallery.php3 script to properly validate user credentials and session state before allowing access to administrative functions. Additionally, network-level restrictions should be implemented to prevent direct access to administrative scripts from external networks, while also ensuring that all user inputs are properly sanitized and validated to prevent similar issues in other parts of the application. Regular security audits should be conducted to identify other potential access control weaknesses in legacy applications, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining robust authentication mechanisms even in older software systems.