CVE-2013-3923 in WiFi Free Hd
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in SavySoda WiFi HD Free before 7.0 allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via a ..%2f (encoded dot dot slash) in a GET request.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/19/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-3923 represents a critical directory traversal flaw within the SavySoda WiFi HD Free application version 6.0 and earlier. This weakness stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data in HTTP GET requests. The vulnerability specifically affects the application's handling of encoded directory traversal sequences, where attackers can exploit the system by submitting requests containing ..%2f sequences that represent the traditional directory traversal pattern. This flaw exists at the application layer and demonstrates a classic lack of proper path validation and sanitization.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the application processes incoming HTTP requests without adequately filtering or validating the presence of directory traversal sequences in the requested paths. When the system receives a GET request containing ..%2f encoded sequences, it fails to properly interpret these inputs and instead processes them as legitimate directory navigation commands. This allows an attacker to traverse the file system hierarchy and access files that should normally be restricted or protected. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the web application level and can be exploited remotely without requiring any authentication or privileged access. The flaw directly maps to CWE-22, which categorizes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple information disclosure. An attacker who successfully exploits this weakness can gain access to sensitive files that may include configuration data, user credentials, application source code, or other confidential information stored within the application's file system. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can exploit this vulnerability from anywhere on the network, making it particularly dangerous for applications deployed in public environments. Depending on the application's file system permissions and the operating system configuration, this vulnerability could potentially allow for complete system compromise through access to critical system files or databases. The vulnerability creates a persistent security risk that remains exploitable until the application is properly updated or patched.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-3923 should focus on implementing robust input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the application's request processing pipeline. Organizations should immediately update to SavySoda WiFi HD Free version 7.0 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing proper path validation that rejects or strips directory traversal sequences from all user-supplied inputs provides an effective defense in depth approach. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can also be deployed to detect and block requests containing suspicious path traversal patterns. The implementation of principle of least privilege access controls and regular security assessments of web applications helps prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1083, which covers discovering file and directory permissions, and represents a fundamental security flaw that violates basic application security principles. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify similar path traversal vulnerabilities in other applications and ensure that all web applications implement proper input validation mechanisms to prevent unauthorized file system access.