CVE-2011-10017 in Snort Report
Summary
by MITRE • 08/14/2025
Snort Report versions < 1.3.2 contains a remote command execution vulnerability in the nmap.php and nbtscan.php scripts. These scripts fail to properly sanitize user input passed via the target GET parameter, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary shell commands. Exploitation requires no authentication and can result in full compromise of the underlying system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/15/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-10017 affects Snort Report versions prior to 1.3.2 and represents a critical remote command execution flaw that resides within the nmap.php and nbtscan.php scripts. This issue stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization practices within the web application's handling of user-supplied data. The vulnerability specifically targets the target GET parameter which is processed by these scripts without proper security measures to prevent malicious input injection. The flaw allows attackers to execute arbitrary shell commands on the affected system, effectively granting them complete control over the underlying infrastructure. This represents a severe security weakness that transforms a legitimate network scanning utility into a potential attack vector for full system compromise.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the target GET parameter in the nmap.php and nbtscan.php scripts. When users provide input through these parameters, the application fails to properly sanitize or validate the data before processing it within shell commands. This creates a classic command injection vulnerability where attacker-controlled input gets directly executed as system commands. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-77 as "Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection')", which is a well-documented weakness in software development practices. Attackers can leverage this flaw by crafting malicious URLs that contain shell commands within the target parameter, bypassing authentication mechanisms entirely since no credentials are required for exploitation.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-10017 is severe and far-reaching, as it enables attackers to achieve complete system compromise without requiring any authentication credentials. Once exploited, attackers can execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the web server process, which typically runs with elevated permissions on the host system. This vulnerability allows for complete data exfiltration, system enumeration, privilege escalation, and the installation of persistent backdoors. The attack surface is particularly concerning because Snort Report is commonly used in network security monitoring environments where it may have access to sensitive network information and potentially privileged system resources. The lack of authentication requirements means that any user with access to the vulnerable web application can exploit this vulnerability, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security improvements. The primary and most effective solution is to upgrade to Snort Report version 1.3.2 or later, which includes proper input sanitization and validation fixes. Organizations should also implement proper web application firewalls and input validation rules to prevent malicious parameter injection attempts. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit exposure of vulnerable web applications to untrusted networks. Additionally, regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar input validation weaknesses in other applications. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices and adheres to ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, highlighting how improper input handling can enable attackers to execute malicious commands directly on target systems. Organizations should also implement monitoring and logging of web application access patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain compliance with security standards such as those outlined in ISO 27001 and NIST cybersecurity frameworks.