CVE-2006-6889 in Wiki
Summary
by MITRE
FreeStyle Wiki (fswiki) 3.6.2 and earlier stores sensitive information under the web root with insufficient access control, which allows remote attackers to obtain passwords via a direct request for config/user.dat.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/15/2024
FreeStyle Wiki version 3.6.2 and earlier contained a critical security flaw that exposed sensitive authentication data through improper access control mechanisms. This vulnerability allowed remote attackers to directly access the config/user.dat file by simply requesting it through a web browser or automated tooling, bypassing all intended authentication and authorization controls. The flaw stems from the application's improper handling of file permissions and access controls, where sensitive user credentials were stored in a location accessible to all web users without proper authentication requirements. This represents a fundamental failure in the principle of least privilege and demonstrates poor security design practices in the application's architecture. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-276, which describes improper file permissions, and falls under the broader category of insecure direct object references that enable unauthorized data access. Attackers could exploit this weakness to obtain administrative credentials, user passwords, and other sensitive authentication information that would otherwise remain protected within the application's secure configuration files.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple credential theft, as it provides attackers with persistent access to the wiki system and potentially enables further exploitation within the network environment. Once credentials are obtained, attackers can impersonate legitimate users, modify content, create malicious pages, and potentially escalate privileges to gain deeper system access. The vulnerability also creates a risk for privilege escalation attacks since many wiki systems store administrative credentials in the same configuration files. This flaw particularly affects organizations that rely on FreeStyle Wiki for internal collaboration and knowledge management, as it undermines the trust model of the application and creates potential for data breaches, content tampering, and unauthorized access to sensitive information. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require physical access to the system or network to exploit it, making it particularly dangerous in cloud environments or externally accessible systems. Organizations using this software may have unknowingly exposed their authentication credentials to the public internet, creating a persistent security risk that could lead to compromise of the entire wiki infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both the immediate exposure and the underlying architectural issues that allowed the flaw to exist. The most critical immediate action is to relocate the config/user.dat file outside the web root directory and implement proper access controls using web server configuration directives such as apache's AllowOverride or nginx's location blocks to prevent direct access to sensitive configuration files. Organizations should also implement proper file permission settings using unix-style permissions where the user.dat file is only accessible by the web server process and authorized administrators. The fix should include implementing authentication checks before serving any configuration files and ensuring that access to sensitive directories follows the principle of least privilege. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive security audits of all web applications to identify similar insecure file access patterns and implement automated scanning tools to detect such issues in the future. The remediation process should also include proper input validation and access control implementation, aligning with the security controls recommended in the MITRE ATT&CK framework for privilege escalation and credential access techniques. Regular security training for developers should emphasize proper file handling and access control implementation to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future versions of the application.