CVE-2006-6616 in w00t Gallery
Summary
by MITRE
index.php in w00t Gallery 1.4.0 allows remote authenticated users with privileges for one installation to gain access to other installations on the same web server, aka "multi-gallery admin session spanning." NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/02/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-6616 represents a critical session management flaw within the w00t Gallery 1.4.0 web application that enables authenticated users to exploit a cross-installation access control bypass. This issue specifically affects environments where multiple gallery installations coexist on the same web server, creating a scenario where administrative privileges from one installation can be leveraged to access and potentially manipulate other gallery instances. The vulnerability stems from improper session handling mechanisms that fail to maintain strict isolation between separate gallery installations, allowing session tokens to persist across different application contexts. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of improper access control as defined by CWE-284, where insufficient controls allow unauthorized access to resources. The flaw particularly impacts the authentication and session management components of the application, creating a path for privilege escalation and unauthorized data access across multiple gallery instances. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1548.001 (Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism) and T1078 (Valid Accounts) as it exploits legitimate administrative privileges to gain access to resources outside the intended scope.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through the index.php file which manages authentication and session handling for the gallery administration interface. When an authenticated user accesses one gallery installation, their session information becomes globally accessible due to shared session storage mechanisms or improper session scope management. This allows an attacker with administrative privileges in one gallery to use their session token to access other gallery installations running on the same server, effectively bypassing the intended isolation between separate applications. The flaw is particularly dangerous because it operates at the application level where session data is not properly scoped to individual installations, creating a scenario where session identifiers become portable across different application contexts. This type of session spanning vulnerability is classified as a session management weakness that violates fundamental security principles of application isolation and resource separation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential data compromise, administrative control over multiple gallery installations, and the possibility of further escalation within the compromised environment. An attacker could potentially modify gallery configurations, upload malicious content, delete or alter media files, and manipulate user accounts across multiple installations simultaneously. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that remains active as long as the session token remains valid, potentially allowing for extended unauthorized access periods. Organizations running multiple gallery installations on shared infrastructure face significant risk exposure, as this flaw could be exploited by both internal malicious actors and external attackers who gain access to administrative credentials for any single installation. The vulnerability also poses risks to data integrity and availability, as unauthorized modifications to one installation could potentially affect the overall system stability and security posture of the web server hosting multiple gallery applications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper session isolation mechanisms and comprehensive access control enforcement across all gallery installations. Organizations should ensure that session identifiers are properly scoped to individual application contexts and that shared session storage mechanisms are configured to prevent cross-application access. The recommended approach involves implementing strict session management practices that prevent session token reuse across different gallery installations, including the use of unique session identifiers per application instance and proper session cleanup procedures. Security patches or upgrades to newer versions of the w00t Gallery software should be prioritized to address the underlying session management flaws. Additionally, network segmentation and proper access controls should be implemented to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities. Regular security audits and monitoring of session handling mechanisms should be conducted to identify and remediate similar issues in other applications. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices for session management as outlined in OWASP Top Ten and other security standards, emphasizing the need for proper input validation and output encoding in web applications.