CVE-2006-3695 in Trac
Summary
by MITRE
Trac before 0.9.6 does not disable the "raw" or "include" commands when providing untrusted users with restructured text (reStructuredText) functionality from docutils, which allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files, perform cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks, or cause a denial of service via unspecified vectors. NOTE: this might be related to CVE-2006-3458.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/21/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-3695 affects Trac versions prior to 0.9.6 and represents a critical security flaw in the handling of reStructuredText functionality. This issue stems from insufficient input validation and command sanitization within the documentation processing module that utilizes docutils library. The vulnerability specifically impacts systems where untrusted users have access to reStructuredText rendering capabilities, creating a dangerous attack surface that can be exploited through maliciously crafted documentation content.
The technical flaw manifests when the system processes user-supplied reStructuredText content that contains raw or include directives. These directives allow for arbitrary code execution and file access when not properly sanitized or disabled. The raw command can execute arbitrary Python code, while the include directive can pull content from external sources or local files, creating multiple attack vectors for privilege escalation and information disclosure. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-20, which covers improper input validation, and CWE-79, which addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities. The flaw exists in the application's trust model where user-generated content is not adequately filtered or restricted before being processed by the underlying documentation engine.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across multiple threat categories and can result in significant damage to affected systems. Remote attackers can leverage this weakness to read arbitrary files from the server filesystem, potentially accessing sensitive configuration files, user credentials, or application source code. The cross-site scripting component allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, enabling session hijacking or data theft. Additionally, the denial of service aspect can be exploited to crash the Trac application or consume excessive system resources, disrupting legitimate user access. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, making it particularly dangerous in environments where untrusted users have write access to documentation features.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to Trac version 0.9.6 or later where the vulnerability has been patched, disabling raw and include commands in reStructuredText processing, and implementing proper input validation for all user-generated content. Additional protective measures include restricting write access to documentation features, implementing web application firewalls, and conducting regular security assessments of documentation systems. The patch for this vulnerability specifically addresses the command injection flaws by properly sanitizing user input and disabling dangerous directives in untrusted user contexts. Security teams should also consider implementing monitoring for suspicious documentation content and establish proper access controls to limit who can submit reStructuredText content that might trigger these vulnerabilities.