CVE-2011-1572 in gitolite
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in the Admin Defined Commands (ADC) feature in gitolite before 1.5.9.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via .. (dot dot) sequences in admin-defined commands.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/23/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-1572 represents a critical directory traversal flaw within the Admin Defined Commands (ADC) functionality of gitolite versions prior to 1.5.9.1. This issue resides in the core command processing mechanism that allows system administrators to define custom administrative commands for their gitolite repositories. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the ADC feature, which fails to properly handle maliciously crafted path sequences containing dot-dot components. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specially formatted commands that leverage directory traversal techniques to access restricted system resources and execute arbitrary code on the affected system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of path resolution within the ADC processing pipeline. When administrators define custom commands through the gitolite configuration, these commands are processed through a mechanism that does not adequately sanitize user-supplied input containing .. sequences. This allows attackers to manipulate the command execution flow by inserting directory traversal sequences that can bypass intended access controls and escalate privileges. The flaw operates at the file system level where the system resolves paths containing dot-dot components without proper validation, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive files or system resources. This vulnerability aligns with 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 CVE-2011-1572 extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass potential complete system compromise. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the gitolite process, which typically runs with elevated permissions to manage repository access controls and system resources. This could result in unauthorized access to sensitive repository data, modification of access controls, or even complete system takeover depending on the execution environment. The vulnerability affects organizations using gitolite for version control management where administrative commands are defined, potentially exposing source code repositories, configuration files, and system credentials to unauthorized access. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it requires minimal privileges to exploit and can be executed remotely, making it a significant threat to organizations relying on gitolite for their source code management infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of affected systems to version 1.5.9.1 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for the directory traversal issue. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation for all administrative command definitions, ensuring that path traversal sequences are properly sanitized before processing. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit exposure of gitolite services to trusted networks only, while monitoring systems should be deployed to detect anomalous command execution patterns. The remediation process should include thorough review of all custom administrative commands to identify potential vulnerabilities and implementation of principle of least privilege for gitolite user accounts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing additional security controls such as command whitelisting, input filtering, and regular security audits of administrative interfaces to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components of their infrastructure. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in security-critical applications and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, highlighting the need for proper command execution controls in version control systems.