CVE-2017-1279 in Tealeaf Customer Experience
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Tealeaf Customer Experience 8.7, 8.8, and 9.0.2 could allow a remote attacker to traverse directories on the system. An attacker could send a specially-crafted URL request containing "dot dot" sequences (/../) to view arbitrary files on the system. IBM X-Force ID: 124757.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/01/2021
This vulnerability resides in IBM Tealeaf Customer Experience versions 8.7, 8.8, and 9.0.2, representing a classic directory traversal flaw that enables remote attackers to access arbitrary files on the affected system. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the application's URL handling mechanism, specifically failing to properly sanitize user-supplied input containing directory traversal sequences. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious URL requests that include "dot dot" sequences such as /../ which allow them to navigate upward through the file system hierarchy and access files outside the intended directory structure. This represents a fundamental security flaw that violates the principle of least privilege and proper access control enforcement.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks. The flaw occurs at the application layer where the system fails to validate or sanitize user input before processing file system operations. When the application processes a URL containing traversal sequences, it does not adequately verify that the requested path remains within the designated application directory boundaries, allowing unauthorized access to sensitive files including configuration data, source code, database files, or system credentials that may be stored in accessible locations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it provides attackers with the ability to remotely access sensitive information without authentication. An attacker can potentially retrieve confidential business data, system configuration files, application source code, or even administrative credentials stored in the application's file system. This access could lead to further compromise of the system through information disclosure, potential privilege escalation, or the discovery of additional vulnerabilities within the application or underlying infrastructure. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur from any location without requiring physical access to the system, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate implementation of input validation and sanitization measures to prevent traversal sequences from being processed. Organizations should apply the vendor-provided security patches or updates that address this specific directory traversal flaw. Network segmentation and firewall rules can help limit access to the affected application, while implementing proper access controls and least privilege principles can reduce the potential impact of successful exploitation. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications. The remediation process should also include monitoring for suspicious file access patterns and implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious traversal attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and the potential consequences of inadequate security controls in web applications.