CVE-2006-3939 in ezUpload Pro
Summary
by MITRE
ScriptsCenter ezUpload Pro 2.2.0 allows remote attackers to perform administrative activities without authentication in (1) filter.php, which permits changing the Extensions Mode file type; (2) access.php, which permits changing the Protection Method; (3) edituser.php, which permits adding upload capabilities to user accounts; (4) settings.php, which permits changing the admin information; and (5) index.php, which permits uploading of arbitrary files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/16/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-3939 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw in ScriptsCenter ezUpload Pro version 2.2.0 that exposes multiple administrative functions to unauthenticated remote attackers. This vulnerability falls under the category of insufficient authentication mechanisms as classified by CWE-287, where the application fails to properly verify user credentials before granting access to privileged administrative operations. The flaw manifests across five distinct PHP script files that collectively provide complete administrative control over the upload system without requiring any authentication credentials, making it a severe security risk for any environment where this software is deployed.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the absence of proper session validation and authentication checks in the affected scripts. When attackers access filter.php, they can modify the Extensions Mode file type which directly impacts which file types the system will accept for upload, potentially allowing malicious file execution. The access.php script permits changes to the Protection Method, which could disable or weaken security measures protecting the upload functionality. The edituser.php script allows attackers to grant upload capabilities to existing user accounts, effectively expanding the attack surface and creating new potential entry points. Meanwhile, settings.php provides access to administrative information changes, while index.php enables arbitrary file uploads, combining to create a complete administrative takeover capability. These functions operate without any form of authentication verification, authentication token validation, or session management checks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is catastrophic for any organization deploying ScriptsCenter ezUpload Pro 2.2.0, as it provides attackers with complete administrative control over the file upload system. Attackers can manipulate the system to accept malicious file types, weaken security protections, add new upload capabilities to user accounts, modify administrative settings, and upload arbitrary files to the server. This vulnerability directly maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1078 Valid Accounts for maintaining persistence, T1566 Phishing for initial access, and T1041 Exfiltration Over C2 Channel for potential data theft. The ability to upload arbitrary files creates opportunities for attackers to establish persistent backdoors, deploy malware, or gain remote code execution capabilities on the compromised server, making it a prime target for exploitation in automated attack campaigns.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including restricting network access to the vulnerable application through firewall rules, applying the latest available patches from the vendor if available, implementing proper authentication mechanisms, and conducting comprehensive security audits of all upload functionality. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and authentication checks, particularly for administrative functions, as outlined in the OWASP Top 10 security principles. Additional defensive measures should include network segmentation, monitoring for unusual upload activities, and implementing file type validation at multiple layers of the application architecture. The vulnerability serves as a stark reminder of how insufficient authentication controls can provide attackers with complete system compromise, emphasizing the need for defense in depth strategies and regular security assessments of all web applications.