CVE-2015-0516 in Watch4Net
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in EMC M&R (aka Watch4Net) before 6.5u1 and ViPR SRM before 3.6.1 allows remote authenticated users to read arbitrary files via a crafted URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/01/2024
The CVE-2015-0516 vulnerability represents a critical directory traversal flaw affecting EMC Management and Reporting (M&R) software versions prior to 6.5u1 and ViPR SRM versions before 3.6.1. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-22, which specifically addresses improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks. The flaw exists in the web application's handling of user-supplied input within URL parameters, where insufficient validation allows malicious actors to manipulate file path references and access unauthorized system resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability enables remote authenticated users to exploit a weakness in the application's input sanitization mechanisms. When processing user requests containing crafted URLs, the system fails to properly validate or sanitize the input parameters that specify file paths, allowing attackers to traverse the file system hierarchy using sequences such as "../" or "..\\" to access files outside of the intended directory structure. This weakness specifically impacts the web interface components responsible for file retrieval operations, where user-provided path information is directly incorporated into file system calls without adequate security checks.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to organizations utilizing affected EMC products, as it allows authenticated attackers to access sensitive configuration files, log data, and potentially system credentials stored on the server. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation does not require physical access to the system, and the authenticated requirement provides a relatively low barrier to entry for malicious actors who have already gained legitimate access to the system. The vulnerability could enable data exfiltration, system reconnaissance, and potentially facilitate further exploitation by providing access to internal system information that could be used for privilege escalation or lateral movement within the network environment.
Security practitioners should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches for EMC M&R 6.5u1 and ViPR SRM 3.6.1, which address the input validation issues in the affected components. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact of credential compromise, as well as monitoring for suspicious file access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) and T1566 (Phishing), as it enables attackers to discover and access sensitive files within the system. Additionally, this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and the principle of least privilege in web application security, emphasizing that even authenticated users should be subject to proper access controls and path validation to prevent unauthorized file system access.