CVE-2008-6367 in Social Groupie
Summary
by MITRE
Unrestricted file upload vulnerability in Photos/create_album.php in Social Groupie allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary code by uploading a file with an executable extension, then accessing it via a direct request to the file in Member_images/.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/18/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2008-6367 represents a critical security flaw in the Social Groupie web application that enables authenticated attackers to achieve remote code execution through unrestricted file upload capabilities. This issue resides within the Photos/create_album.php component of the application, which fails to properly validate or sanitize file uploads submitted by users. The vulnerability specifically targets the member_images directory where uploaded files are stored, creating a persistent backdoor for malicious actors to execute arbitrary code on the affected server. The flaw demonstrates a classic lack of input validation and output encoding that violates fundamental secure coding principles and creates a pathway for attackers to escalate privileges and compromise the entire web application infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient file type validation mechanisms within the file upload functionality. When authenticated users upload files through the create_album.php script, the application does not properly verify the file extensions or MIME types of uploaded content. This allows attackers to upload files with executable extensions such as .php, .asp, .jsp, or other server-side script extensions that can be executed by the web server. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires only authenticated access, meaning that any user with valid credentials can exploit this flaw to gain unauthorized code execution capabilities. The direct access path through Member_images/ directory creates a persistent threat vector that remains active until the vulnerable application is patched or the uploaded malicious files are removed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple code execution, creating multiple attack vectors that can compromise the entire web hosting environment. Attackers can upload web shells, backdoor scripts, or malicious payloads that provide persistent access to the compromised system. The vulnerability allows for privilege escalation attacks, data exfiltration, and potential lateral movement within the network infrastructure. Organizations using Social Groupie applications become vulnerable to full system compromise, as the uploaded files can be executed by the web server with the privileges of the web application user. This creates a significant risk for data breaches, service disruption, and potential regulatory compliance violations that can result in substantial financial and reputational damage.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-6367 require immediate implementation of multiple security controls to address the root cause of the vulnerability. The primary remediation involves implementing strict file type validation and sanitization within the file upload functionality, ensuring that only safe file extensions are accepted and that uploaded files are stored outside the web root directory. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers, enforce proper file extension checking, and utilize secure file handling mechanisms that prevent execution of uploaded content. Additionally, access controls should be strengthened to limit file upload capabilities to authorized users only, while implementing proper input validation and output encoding techniques. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-434 which describes "Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type" and maps to ATT&CK technique T1190 "Exploit Public-Facing Application" and T1059 "Command and Scripting Interpreter" for the execution phase of the attack lifecycle. Regular security audits, web application firewalls, and proper security monitoring should be implemented to detect and prevent similar vulnerabilities in other components of the application stack.