CVE-2011-2746 in OTRS
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Kernel/Modules/AdminPackageManager.pm in OTRS-Core in Open Ticket Request System (OTRS) 2.x before 2.4.11 and 3.x before 3.0.10 allows remote authenticated administrators to read arbitrary files via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/18/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2746 represents a critical security flaw within the Open Ticket Request System OTRS-Core framework, specifically affecting versions prior to 2.4.11 and 3.0.10. This issue resides within the Kernel/Modules/AdminPackageManager.pm module, which forms part of the administrative package management functionality. The vulnerability manifests as an unspecified flaw that enables remote authenticated administrators to execute arbitrary file reading operations, creating a significant risk for organizations relying on this ticketing system for customer support and service management.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and access control mechanisms within the administrative package manager component. When authenticated administrators interact with the system's package management features, the application fails to properly sanitize user inputs or enforce appropriate authorization checks. This allows malicious actors who have already gained administrative credentials to exploit the system and read arbitrary files from the server's file system. The unspecified nature of the vector suggests that the vulnerability may involve multiple attack paths or could be related to improper handling of file paths, directory traversal mechanisms, or parameter manipulation within the package management interface.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-2746 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the ability to read arbitrary files can lead to complete system compromise. An attacker with administrative privileges could potentially access sensitive configuration files, database connection details, application source code, and other critical system components. This vulnerability directly violates several security principles including the principle of least privilege and proper access control enforcement. The flaw represents a failure in the system's defense-in-depth strategy, as it allows lateral movement and information gathering that could facilitate further attacks. Organizations using affected OTRS versions face risks of data breaches, system compromise, and potential regulatory violations depending on the nature of the data handled by their ticketing systems.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as directory traversal attacks, and CWE-284, which addresses improper access control mechanisms. The attack pattern corresponds to techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1078 credential access tactic and T1083 file and directory discovery technique. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to patched versions of OTRS, applying the vendor-supplied security patches, and conducting thorough security assessments of their administrative access controls. Additional protective measures include implementing network segmentation, monitoring administrative access logs for suspicious activity, and establishing robust access control policies that enforce the principle of least privilege. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and conducting regular vulnerability assessments to prevent exploitation of known security flaws in enterprise systems.