CVE-2006-4908 in Osu Httpd
Summary
by MITRE
OSU 3.11alpha and 3.10a allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via a URL containing an * (asterisk) wildcard, which displays all matching file and directory information.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/23/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-4908 represents a critical information disclosure flaw affecting OSU versions 3.11alpha and 3.10a. This security issue arises from improper handling of wildcard characters in URL parsing mechanisms, specifically when an asterisk (*) character is present in file paths. The vulnerability stems from a fundamental flaw in the web server's file system traversal logic, where the system fails to properly validate or sanitize input containing wildcard patterns before processing file requests. This allows malicious actors to exploit the system's directory listing functionality and gain unauthorized access to sensitive file and directory information that should otherwise remain protected.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the web server's interpretation of URL patterns containing asterisk wildcards, which are typically used for pattern matching in file system operations. When a request containing such a pattern is processed, the system incorrectly resolves the wildcard character and returns comprehensive directory listings that include files and directories the attacker should not have access to. This behavior violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and access control, as the system fails to properly enforce authorization checks when processing wildcard-based file requests. The flaw operates at the application layer and can be exploited through standard HTTP requests without requiring authentication or specialized tools.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for organizations using affected OSU versions, as it enables remote attackers to discover sensitive files, configuration data, and potentially system structure information that could be used for further exploitation. The disclosure of directory listings may reveal the presence of backup files, temporary files, source code repositories, or other sensitive system artifacts that could provide attackers with additional attack vectors. This information disclosure vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which specifically addresses improper output filtering and information exposure, and can be leveraged as an initial reconnaissance step in broader attack campaigns. The remote nature of the exploit means that attackers can systematically enumerate directory structures from outside the network perimeter, making this particularly dangerous for publicly accessible systems.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on implementing proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the web server's URL parsing logic. Organizations should immediately patch to newer versions of OSU that address this specific wildcard handling issue, as the vendor has likely released security updates to resolve the flawed directory traversal implementation. Additionally, administrators should implement web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious wildcard patterns in URLs, and establish proper access controls that prevent directory listing functionality from returning sensitive information. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1083, which covers directory listing activities, and T1566, which covers credential access through reconnaissance. System administrators should also consider implementing logging and monitoring for unusual directory listing requests to detect potential exploitation attempts and establish baseline behavior for normal system operations.