CVE-2009-0331 in ESPG
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in gallery/comment.php in Enhanced Simple PHP Gallery (ESPG) 1.72 allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via a .. (dot dot) in the file parameter. NOTE: the vulnerability may be in my little homepage Comment script. If so, then this should not be treated as a vulnerability in ESPG.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/22/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-0331 represents a classic directory traversal flaw that affects the Enhanced Simple PHP Gallery version 1.72. This security weakness exists within the gallery/comment.php component of the application, specifically in how it processes the file parameter. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to access arbitrary files on the server by manipulating the file parameter with directory traversal sequences such as .. (dot dot). This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the comment.php script, which fails to properly restrict user-supplied input that could be used to navigate outside the intended directory structure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with the ability to access sensitive files that may contain database credentials, configuration details, application source code, or other confidential information. Attackers could potentially exploit this weakness to read system files such as /etc/passwd or /etc/shadow on unix-like systems, or access application configuration files that might reveal database connection strings, encryption keys, or other critical system information. The vulnerability's remote nature means that an attacker does not need physical access to the system or local network privileges to exploit it, making it particularly dangerous for web applications accessible over the internet. This weakness directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1213.002 which involves data from local system sources and can be leveraged for further attack progression.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental flaw in input handling where user-provided parameters are directly incorporated into file system operations without proper validation or sanitization. When the file parameter contains directory traversal sequences, the application processes these inputs without verifying that they remain within the intended directory boundaries. This lack of proper input filtering creates an opportunity for attackers to manipulate the file system access paths and potentially gain unauthorized access to files that should remain protected. The vulnerability's presence in what appears to be a comment script component suggests that even seemingly innocuous functionality within web applications can contain security flaws that can be exploited for broader system access. Organizations should consider implementing proper input validation, canonicalization of file paths, and access controls to prevent such directory traversal attacks, as this vulnerability represents a common yet critical weakness in web application security that has been documented in numerous security advisories and vulnerability assessments over the years.