CVE-2011-5127 in Reporter
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in Blue Coat Reporter 9.x before 9.2.4.13, 9.2.5.x before 9.2.5.1, and 9.3 before 9.3.1.2 on Windows allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files, and consequently execute arbitrary code, via an unspecified HTTP request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/07/2024
The CVE-2011-5127 vulnerability represents a critical directory traversal flaw affecting Blue Coat Reporter versions prior to specific patch releases. This vulnerability resides within the web server component of the Blue Coat Reporter application, which is designed for network traffic analysis and reporting. The flaw manifests in the application's handling of HTTP requests, specifically when processing user-supplied input that controls file access operations. The vulnerability allows unauthenticated remote attackers to manipulate file path resolution mechanisms, enabling them to access files outside the intended directory structure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the web application's file access routines. When processing HTTP requests containing specially crafted file path parameters, the application fails to properly validate or sanitize user input before using it in file system operations. This allows attackers to construct malicious paths using directory traversal sequences such as "..\.." or similar constructs that navigate upward through the directory hierarchy. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-22 as "Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')" which is a well-documented weakness in web application security. The flaw exists in the application's request handling logic where it processes file access requests without sufficient validation of the requested paths against a safe directory whitelist or proper path normalization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to include potential arbitrary code execution capabilities. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to read sensitive system files, configuration data, and potentially access the underlying operating system resources. The ability to read arbitrary files provides attackers with opportunities to gather system information, extract credentials, access application configuration files, and potentially discover other system vulnerabilities. The remote nature of this attack vector means that exploitation can occur from any network location without requiring local system access, making it particularly dangerous for networked environments. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) and T1566 (Phishing with Malicious Attachments) as attackers can use the discovered files to craft more sophisticated attacks. The vulnerability also represents a significant risk to enterprise security infrastructure since Blue Coat Reporter systems often contain sensitive network traffic data and system configurations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-5127 should focus on immediate patch application to the affected Blue Coat Reporter versions. Organizations should prioritize updating to the patched versions 9.2.4.13, 9.2.5.1, and 9.3.1.2 which contain proper input validation mechanisms and path sanitization routines. Additionally, network administrators should implement firewall rules to restrict access to the Blue Coat Reporter web interface to trusted administrative networks only, reducing the attack surface. The implementation of web application firewalls and input validation controls can provide additional defense-in-depth measures. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual file access patterns and directory traversal attempts in web server logs. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and secure coding practices, particularly in applications that process user-supplied data for file system operations. Organizations should conduct vulnerability assessments to identify other applications with similar path traversal vulnerabilities and implement comprehensive security testing procedures including dynamic application security testing and static code analysis to prevent similar issues in future development cycles.