CVE-2009-4957 in ActiveKB
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in loadpanel.php in Interspire ActiveKB allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files and possibly have unspecified other impact via directory traversal sequences in the Panel parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/03/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-4957 represents a critical directory traversal flaw in the Interspire ActiveKB knowledge base management system. This vulnerability specifically affects the loadpanel.php script which handles panel loading functionality within the application. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data passed through the Panel parameter. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious directory traversal sequences that manipulate the application's file inclusion logic to access files outside the intended directory structure.
From a technical perspective, the vulnerability operates by leveraging the absence of proper path validation controls in the loadpanel.php script. When the Panel parameter receives input containing directory traversal sequences such as ../ or ..\, the application fails to adequately filter or sanitize these inputs before using them in file operations. This allows malicious actors to navigate beyond the application's intended file access boundaries and potentially read sensitive files from the server's file system. The vulnerability falls under CWE-22 which specifically addresses improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple file reading capabilities and can potentially lead to more severe consequences including complete system compromise. Remote attackers can leverage this vulnerability to access configuration files, database credentials, application source code, and other sensitive information that may be stored on the server. The unspecified other impacts mentioned in the vulnerability description suggest potential additional security implications such as privilege escalation, denial of service conditions, or even remote code execution depending on the server configuration and file permissions. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1083 which covers directory and file system discovery, and T1566 which encompasses credential access through various means including file system exploitation.
Organizations using Interspire ActiveKB should immediately implement mitigations to address this vulnerability. The primary remediation involves implementing proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms that filter out directory traversal sequences from all user-supplied parameters. This includes implementing strict whitelist validation for panel names and ensuring that all file operations use absolute paths with proper access controls. Additionally, the application should be configured to run with minimal necessary privileges and implement proper file system access controls to limit the damage that could occur even if exploitation were successful. Regular security audits and input validation testing should be conducted to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future code releases, with adherence to secure coding practices that prevent path traversal attacks as outlined in OWASP Top Ten security guidelines.