CVE-2014-2864 in Commonspot Content Server
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple directory traversal vulnerabilities in PaperThin CommonSpot before 7.0.2 and 8.x before 8.0.3 allow remote attackers to have an unspecified impact via a filename parameter containing directory traversal sequences.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/10/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-2864 represents a critical directory traversal flaw affecting PaperThin CommonSpot content management systems. This security weakness exists within versions prior to 7.0.2 and 8.x prior to 8.0.3, creating a significant attack surface for malicious actors seeking unauthorized access to system resources. The vulnerability specifically manifests through manipulation of filename parameters, where attackers can exploit directory traversal sequences to navigate beyond intended file access boundaries.
Directory traversal vulnerabilities occur when applications fail to properly validate user-supplied input before using it to access files or directories. In the context of CVE-2014-2864, the flaw allows remote attackers to craft malicious requests that can traverse directory structures and potentially access sensitive files, system resources, or execute arbitrary code. The unspecified impact mentioned in the description suggests that the vulnerability could enable various malicious activities including but not limited to data exfiltration, system compromise, or denial of service conditions.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-22, which specifically addresses improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal. The flaw represents a classic example of insufficient input validation where the application processes user-provided filenames without adequate sanitization or authorization checks. Attackers can leverage this weakness by injecting sequences such as ../ or ..\ into the filename parameter, effectively allowing them to move up directory levels and access files outside the intended application scope.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-2864 extends beyond simple unauthorized file access, potentially enabling attackers to gain deeper system insights and compromise the overall security posture. Organizations running affected versions of PaperThin CommonSpot face risks including exposure of sensitive configuration files, database credentials, or application source code. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur without requiring physical access to the system, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous for web-facing applications. This weakness can also serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks, potentially enabling privilege escalation or lateral movement within network environments.
Security practitioners should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to patched versions of PaperThin CommonSpot, specifically versions 7.0.2 and 8.0.3 or later. Additionally, input validation mechanisms should be strengthened to filter out directory traversal sequences and other malicious input patterns. Network segmentation and access controls can provide additional defense-in-depth layers, while monitoring systems should be configured to detect suspicious file access patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of adhering to secure coding practices and implementing proper input validation as outlined in the ATT&CK framework's techniques for command and control operations and privilege escalation. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify similar weaknesses in other applications and systems within their environment.