CVE-2016-1242 in Tryton
Summary
by MITRE
file_open in Tryton before 3.2.17, 3.4.x before 3.4.14, 3.6.x before 3.6.12, 3.8.x before 3.8.8, and 4.x before 4.0.4 allow remote authenticated users with certain permissions to read arbitrary files via the name parameter or unspecified other vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/15/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-1242 represents a critical directory traversal flaw within the Tryton business management software platform. This vulnerability affects multiple version streams of the application including the 3.2.x series up to 3.2.16, 3.4.x series up to 3.4.13, 3.6.x series up to 3.6.11, 3.8.x series up to 3.8.7, and the 4.x series up to 4.0.3. The flaw specifically resides in the file_open function which processes file operations within the application's file handling subsystem. The vulnerability allows authenticated attackers with specific permissions to exploit this weakness and access arbitrary files on the underlying file system, potentially leading to unauthorized data exposure and system compromise.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the file_open function. Attackers can manipulate the name parameter to traverse directory structures and access files outside the intended scope of file operations. This occurs because the application fails to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied file paths before processing them, allowing maliciously crafted input to bypass security controls. The vulnerability can be exploited through multiple vectors including direct manipulation of the name parameter and potentially other unspecified attack surfaces within the file handling mechanism. This type of flaw falls under the CWE-22 category for Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory, commonly known as Path Traversal or Directory Traversal.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-1242 extends beyond simple unauthorized file access, creating significant security risks for organizations using vulnerable Tryton installations. An authenticated attacker with appropriate permissions could potentially access sensitive business documents, configuration files, database credentials, or other confidential information stored on the server. This vulnerability particularly threatens organizations that rely on Tryton for critical business processes such as enterprise resource planning, customer relationship management, or financial management. The attack vector requires authentication, which means that the vulnerability is typically exploited by insiders or compromised accounts rather than external attackers, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged to escalate privileges or access sensitive data within the organization's network.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through official software updates from Tryton. The patch versions addressing this issue include Tryton 3.2.17, 3.4.14, 3.6.12, 3.8.8, and 4.0.4 respectively. Security teams should implement comprehensive monitoring for suspicious file access patterns and ensure that all user accounts maintain appropriate least privilege access controls. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and proper access controls in enterprise applications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1078 for Valid Accounts and T1566 for Phishing. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as web application firewalls, file access logging, and regular security assessments to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in other components of their IT infrastructure.