CVE-2012-2244 in Mahara
Summary
by MITRE
Mahara 1.4.x before 1.4.5 and 1.5.x before 1.5.4 allows remote authenticated administrators to execute arbitrary programs by modifying the path to clamav. NOTE: this can be exploited without authentication by leveraging CVE-2012-2243.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-2244 affects Mahara learning management systems version 1.4.x prior to 1.4.5 and 1.5.x prior to 1.5.4, representing a critical security flaw that enables remote code execution through improper path handling within the clamav scanning functionality. This vulnerability falls under the category of path traversal and command injection issues, with the underlying cause being inadequate input validation and sanitization of file paths used by the system's antivirus integration. The flaw specifically manifests when the application processes user-supplied paths for clamav binary locations, creating opportunities for malicious actors to manipulate system commands through crafted input parameters.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly validate or sanitize the path specification for clamav utilities, allowing authenticated administrators to modify the path to clamav and subsequently execute arbitrary programs on the affected system. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited without authentication when combined with CVE-2012-2243, which likely provides initial access or privilege escalation capabilities. This chained exploitation scenario significantly increases the attack surface and potential impact of the vulnerability. The flaw operates at the system command execution level, where user-controllable input directly influences shell command construction, making it susceptible to command injection attacks that align with CWE-78 and CWE-88 categories.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-2244 extends beyond simple remote code execution to encompass complete system compromise and potential data breaches. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can gain unauthorized access to the underlying operating system, potentially escalating privileges to the system administrator level. The implications include unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion, system resource exhaustion, and the potential installation of persistent backdoors or malware. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically shell scripting, and T1068 for Exploitation for Privilege Escalation. Organizations running affected Mahara versions face significant risk of unauthorized access to educational data, student information, and institutional resources.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-2244 should prioritize immediate patching to versions 1.4.5 and 1.5.4 or later, which contain the necessary fixes for path validation and sanitization. System administrators should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of the vulnerable application to untrusted networks. Additional defensive measures include monitoring for unusual system command execution patterns, implementing input validation at multiple layers, and conducting regular security assessments of web applications. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices around system command execution and path handling, aligning with security standards such as OWASP Top Ten and NIST SP 800-53 requirements for input validation and privilege management. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious path manipulation attempts, while maintaining comprehensive audit logs to track system command execution and potential exploitation attempts.