CVE-2010-2848 in Com Artforms
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in assets/captcha/includes/alikon/playcode.php in the InterJoomla ArtForms (com_artforms) component 2.1b7.2 RC2 for Joomla! allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via a .. (dot dot) in the l parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-2848 represents a critical directory traversal flaw within the InterJoomla ArtForms component for Joomla installation.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability falls under CWE-22 which defines path traversal or directory traversal attacks as a class of security vulnerabilities that occur when applications fail to properly validate input that could be used to access files outside of their intended directory scope. The flaw allows remote attackers to bypass normal access controls and retrieve sensitive files that should remain protected, including configuration files, database credentials, and other system resources. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it does not require authentication to exploit, making it accessible to any remote attacker who can submit requests to the vulnerable component.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks within the compromised environment. Attackers could leverage this flaw to access sensitive application data, system configuration files, and potentially gain insights into the underlying infrastructure. In the context of the ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to the T1083 technique for file and directory discovery, and could lead to additional techniques such as T1005 for data from local system and T1078 for valid accounts. The vulnerability could also serve as a stepping stone for further exploitation, potentially allowing attackers to discover other vulnerable components or services running on the same server.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-2848 should prioritize immediate patching of the InterJoomla ArtForms component to the latest available version that addresses this directory traversal vulnerability. Organizations should also implement input validation controls that sanitize all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used for file operations or path resolution. Network-based mitigations such as web application firewalls can provide additional protection by detecting and blocking suspicious directory traversal patterns in incoming requests. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar flaws in other components of the Joomla! platform or third-party extensions. System administrators should also implement proper file access controls and ensure that the web server runs with minimal privileges to limit potential damage from successful exploitation attempts.