CVE-2014-2049 in ownCloud
Summary
by MITRE
The default Flash Cross Domain policies in ownCloud before 5.0.15 and 6.x before 6.0.2 allows remote attackers to access user files via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/31/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-2049 represents a critical security flaw in ownCloud's implementation of flash cross domain policies that affected versions prior to 5.0.15 and 6.x before 6.0.2. This issue stems from the improper configuration of cross-domain policy files that control how Flash applications can interact with resources across different domains. The vulnerability specifically relates to the default Flash Cross Domain policies that were configured to be overly permissive, creating an attack surface that allowed remote adversaries to bypass normal access controls and gain unauthorized access to user files stored within the ownCloud environment. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the description indicate that attackers could exploit this weakness through various attack paths, potentially including malicious Flash content or manipulated web requests that leverage the overly permissive policy settings.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the exploitation of Flash's cross-domain policy mechanism which is designed to control access between different domains for security purposes. When ownCloud's default configuration failed to properly restrict cross-domain access, it created a scenario where remote attackers could craft requests that would be processed by the Flash player with elevated privileges due to the loose policy restrictions. This flaw essentially allowed attackers to perform unauthorized data access operations against user files stored in the cloud storage system. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and represents a failure in proper access control implementation, which is classified under CWE-284 Access Control Issues within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework. The attack vectors could involve manipulating Flash content or exploiting the default policy files that were intended to provide security boundaries but instead created security loopholes.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-2049 extends beyond simple unauthorized file access, as it represents a fundamental breakdown in the security model of the ownCloud platform. Attackers who successfully exploited this vulnerability could potentially access sensitive user data, including documents, photos, and other personal files stored within the cloud environment. The implications are particularly severe given that ownCloud was designed as a secure platform for file storage and collaboration, making unauthorized access to user data a critical concern. This vulnerability could lead to data breaches, privacy violations, and potential compliance issues for organizations using ownCloud for their file storage needs. The attack could be executed remotely without requiring any special privileges or local access to the system, making it particularly dangerous as it could be exploited by anyone with network access to the affected ownCloud instance.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-2049 focus primarily on updating to the patched versions of ownCloud that address the cross-domain policy configuration issues. Organizations should immediately upgrade to ownCloud versions 5.0.15 or 6.0.2 and later, as these releases contain the necessary fixes to properly configure Flash cross-domain policies. Additionally, administrators should review and harden their cross-domain policy files to ensure they follow security best practices, implementing more restrictive policies that only allow access from trusted domains. The remediation process should also include monitoring network traffic for any suspicious activity related to cross-domain requests and implementing proper logging mechanisms to detect potential exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques involving privilege escalation and credential access, specifically leveraging weaknesses in application security controls. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities, ensuring that even if one component is compromised, the attack cannot easily spread to other parts of the system. The fix addresses the root cause by properly configuring the Flash cross-domain policy files to restrict access to only authorized domains and resources.