CVE-2016-10329 in Photo Station
Summary
by MITRE
Command injection vulnerability in login.php in Synology Photo Station before 6.5.3-3226 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via shell metacharacters in the crafted 'X-Forwarded-For' header.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/25/2020
The CVE-2016-10329 vulnerability represents a critical command injection flaw in Synology Photo Station software versions prior to 6.5.3-3226. This vulnerability specifically targets the login.php script and exploits a dangerous input validation weakness that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the affected system. The flaw manifests through the manipulation of the X-Forwarded-For HTTP header, which is commonly used by web applications to identify the original client IP address when requests pass through proxies or load balancers. The vulnerability falls under CWE-77 which categorizes command injection flaws, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it leverages a header field that is often automatically populated by infrastructure components, making it difficult to detect and prevent through traditional network monitoring.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input sanitization within the login.php script where the X-Forwarded-For header value is directly incorporated into shell commands without adequate validation or escaping. When an attacker crafts a malicious X-Forwarded-For header containing shell metacharacters such as semicolons, ampersands, or backticks, the application processes these characters as part of the command execution chain rather than as literal header data. This allows an attacker to inject arbitrary shell commands that execute with the privileges of the web application process, typically running as a system user with elevated permissions. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it bypasses standard authentication mechanisms and can be exploited remotely without requiring valid credentials, making it a prime target for automated exploitation tools and malicious actors seeking unauthorized system access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution to encompass full system compromise and potential data exfiltration. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability gains the ability to execute commands on the underlying operating system, potentially leading to privilege escalation, lateral movement within the network, and access to sensitive data stored within the Synology Photo Station environment. The vulnerability affects not only the photo station service itself but also exposes the entire underlying system to potential compromise, as the web application typically runs with sufficient privileges to access system resources, user files, and potentially other services running on the same host. This makes the vulnerability particularly attractive to attackers who may use it as a foothold for more extensive attacks within the network infrastructure.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement the patch released by Synology in version 6.5.3-3226 which properly validates and sanitizes input from the X-Forwarded-For header before incorporating it into any shell commands. Network administrators should also consider implementing additional security controls such as web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious header values, and monitor for unusual patterns in HTTP header usage. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and the principle of least privilege in web application development, where all user-supplied data should be treated as potentially malicious and properly escaped or validated before being used in system calls or shell operations. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify other similar patterns in their infrastructure and ensure that all applications follow secure coding practices to prevent similar command injection vulnerabilities from being introduced in future development cycles.