CVE-2007-2106 in Kai Content Management System
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in index.php in Kai Content Management System (K-CMS) 1.0 allows remote attackers to include and execute arbitrary local files via a .. (dot dot) in the current_theme parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/19/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-2106 represents a critical directory traversal flaw within the Kai Content Management System version 1.0. This security weakness resides in the index.php script where the application fails to properly validate user input supplied through the current_theme parameter. The flaw enables remote attackers to manipulate file inclusion mechanisms by exploiting the .. (dot dot) sequence, which allows them to navigate upward through the directory structure and access arbitrary local files on the server. Such directory traversal vulnerabilities fall under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-22, which specifically addresses improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic lack of input sanitization and output encoding that permits malicious actors to bypass intended security boundaries.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious request containing directory traversal sequences within the current_theme parameter value. When the K-CMS application processes this input without proper validation, it incorporates the user-supplied path into file inclusion operations, potentially allowing access to sensitive system files, configuration data, or other locally stored resources. The impact extends beyond simple file reading to include arbitrary code execution, as attackers can leverage the file inclusion mechanism to execute malicious payloads that may have been uploaded to the server or exist within the file system. This type of vulnerability aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK framework's technique T1505.003 for Server-Side Request Forgery and T1213.002 for Data from Information Repositories, demonstrating how attackers can escalate privileges and access unauthorized data through improper input validation.
The operational consequences of this vulnerability are severe for any organization relying on the K-CMS platform. Remote attackers can exploit the flaw to gain unauthorized access to sensitive system information, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability allows for the execution of arbitrary local files, which means attackers could upload malicious files and execute them with the privileges of the web application, or access existing system files that contain credentials, database connection strings, or other sensitive information. Organizations using this CMS version face significant risk of data breaches, system infiltration, and potential lateral movement within their network infrastructure. The vulnerability also demonstrates poor secure coding practices and inadequate input validation mechanisms that could indicate broader security weaknesses within the application's architecture.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-2106 should prioritize immediate patching of the K-CMS version 1.0 to address the directory traversal vulnerability through proper input validation and sanitization. Organizations must implement strict parameter validation for all user-supplied inputs, particularly those used in file inclusion operations, and employ absolute path resolution techniques to prevent directory traversal attacks. The implementation of a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules specifically targeting directory traversal patterns can provide additional protection layers. Security measures should include restricting file inclusion operations to predefined, whitelisted themes or directories, implementing proper access controls, and conducting thorough input validation that rejects any input containing traversal sequences. Additionally, regular security audits and code reviews should be performed to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other applications, with particular attention to ensuring that all file operations properly validate and sanitize user inputs to prevent exploitation of similar weaknesses that could lead to privilege escalation or unauthorized data access.