CVE-2008-3293 in EZWebAlbum
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in download.php in EZWebAlbum allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via the dlfilename parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/02/2024
The CVE-2008-3293 vulnerability represents a critical directory traversal flaw in the EZWebAlbum web application's download.php script. This vulnerability specifically affects the dlfilename parameter which processes file download requests without proper input validation or sanitization. The flaw enables remote attackers to manipulate the file path parameter and access arbitrary files on the server filesystem, potentially leading to sensitive data exposure and system compromise. The vulnerability falls under the category of insecure direct object reference issues and represents a classic path traversal attack vector that has been prevalent in web applications for many years.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious request to the download.php endpoint by manipulating the dlfilename parameter to include directory traversal sequences such as ../ or ..\.. The web application fails to validate or sanitize the input, allowing the attacker to navigate outside the intended download directory and access files that should remain restricted. This type of vulnerability directly maps to CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation practices and inadequate access controls within the application's file handling mechanisms.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations running affected EZWebAlbum installations. Attackers can potentially access configuration files, database credentials, user information, and other sensitive data stored on the server. The vulnerability enables unauthorized data access and could facilitate further exploitation attempts such as privilege escalation or system compromise. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation does not require local system access, making it particularly dangerous as attackers can leverage this vulnerability from anywhere on the internet. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) and T1566 (Phishing with Malicious Attachment) when combined with other attack vectors.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and sanitization of all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in file operations. The recommended approach involves implementing strict path validation that ensures file paths remain within designated directories and rejects any input containing traversal sequences. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and least privilege principles for file operations can significantly reduce the impact of such vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments and code reviews focusing on file handling functions should be conducted to identify and remediate similar issues. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and implementing proper input validation as outlined in OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious file access patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts.