CVE-2006-6257 in AlternC
Summary
by MITRE
The file manager in AlternC 0.9.5 and earlier, when warnings are enabled in PHP, allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via certain folder names such as ones composed of JavaScript code, which reveal the path in a warning message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-6257 represents a classic information disclosure issue within the AlternC file manager component that affects versions 0.9.5 and earlier. This flaw manifests when PHP warnings are enabled in the server configuration, creating a scenario where malicious actors can manipulate folder names to trigger warning messages that inadvertently expose system paths. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the file management interface, specifically when processing directory names that contain JavaScript code or other potentially problematic content. When these specially crafted folder names are processed by the system, PHP's warning mechanism reveals the absolute file paths of the server, providing attackers with crucial system information that could be leveraged for further exploitation. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-200 category of "Information Exposure" and represents a fundamental security misconfiguration that violates the principle of least privilege by exposing internal system details to unauthorized users. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires minimal technical expertise to execute, making it accessible to a broad range of threat actors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the revealed paths can provide attackers with critical system architecture details including directory structures, file locations, and potentially sensitive configuration information. When PHP warnings are enabled, the system's error reporting mechanism becomes a conduit for sensitive data exposure, particularly when user-supplied input is not properly sanitized before processing. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213.002 for "Data from Information Repositories" and represents a pathway for initial reconnaissance activities that could lead to more sophisticated attacks. The flaw demonstrates poor input handling practices where the system fails to validate or sanitize folder names before processing them through PHP's error reporting system, creating a direct information leak that can be exploited without requiring authentication or special privileges. The exposure of absolute paths can facilitate path traversal attacks, directory listing enumeration, and other reconnaissance activities that would otherwise be difficult to achieve without such information disclosure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and sanitization measures within the AlternC file manager component. System administrators should disable PHP warnings in production environments to prevent the exposure of sensitive path information, while also implementing strict input filtering to reject folder names containing potentially malicious content such as JavaScript code or other scripting elements. The recommended approach includes configuring PHP's error reporting level to suppress warnings and notices in production environments, along with implementing proper output encoding for all user-supplied data. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious folder naming patterns, and establish regular security audits to identify similar input validation flaws in other components of the system. This vulnerability underscores the importance of following secure coding practices and demonstrates how seemingly minor configuration issues can create significant security risks. The remediation process should involve upgrading to a patched version of AlternC, implementing proper error handling mechanisms, and ensuring that all user inputs are properly validated and sanitized before processing to prevent similar information disclosure scenarios from occurring in the future.