CVE-2006-2945 in DokuWiki
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the user profile change functionality in DokuWiki, when Access Control Lists are enabled, allows remote authenticated users to read unauthorized files via unknown attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/28/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-2945 resides within DokuWiki's user profile change functionality when Access Control Lists are enabled, representing a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of file access controls. This issue affects the core authorization mechanisms that govern user permissions within the wiki system, creating a scenario where authenticated users can potentially bypass normal access restrictions to read files they should not have access to. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests that multiple pathways may exist for exploitation, making the vulnerability particularly concerning as it could be leveraged through various means depending on the specific implementation details of the affected system.
The technical flaw manifests in the insufficient validation and access control checks that occur during user profile modification processes when ACLs are active. When users attempt to change their profiles, the system fails to properly verify that the requested file operations remain within the bounds of their established permissions. This weakness creates a privilege escalation scenario where authenticated users can manipulate the system to access unauthorized resources, effectively circumventing the intended access control policies. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of user authentication and file system access, exploiting a gap in the authorization logic that should prevent users from accessing files beyond their designated permissions.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on DokuWiki for content management and collaboration. The ability for authenticated users to read unauthorized files could lead to data breaches, information disclosure, and potential compromise of sensitive organizational information. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to access confidential documents, system configurations, or other restricted resources that should only be available to specific user groups or administrators. The impact extends beyond simple information leakage, as the vulnerability could potentially be combined with other exploits to escalate privileges or gain deeper system access.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control issues, and could potentially map to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for social engineering if the attack vector involves manipulating user permissions. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches from DokuWiki maintainers, reviewing and tightening access control configurations, and monitoring for suspicious user profile modification activities. Additionally, network segmentation and enhanced logging of file access attempts can help detect potential exploitation attempts. Regular security audits of wiki configurations and user permission settings should be conducted to identify and remediate similar access control weaknesses that may exist in other components of the system infrastructure.
The root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and access control enforcement within the user profile handling code. When ACLs are enabled, the system should maintain strict boundaries between user permissions and file access operations, but the flaw allows for bypassing these boundaries during profile changes. This represents a fundamental failure in the principle of least privilege, where user actions should never be able to expand their access beyond their designated authorization levels. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of comprehensive access control testing, particularly in systems where user profiles interact with file system operations, and highlights the need for thorough security reviews of all authentication and authorization mechanisms.