CVE-2017-14839 in Photo Fusion
Summary
by MITRE
TeamWork Photo Fusion allows Arbitrary File Upload in changeAvatar and changeCover.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/10/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-14839 affects TeamWork Photo Fusion software where the application permits arbitrary file upload through the changeAvatar and changeCover functionality. This represents a critical security flaw that allows unauthorized users to upload malicious files to the target system, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability exists within the file upload validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize or restrict file types, enabling attackers to bypass security controls and execute arbitrary code on the affected server.
This vulnerability falls under the category of insecure file upload flaws and aligns with CWE-434 which describes the weakness of allowing untrusted data to be uploaded to a web application. The flaw specifically manifests in the changeAvatar and changeCover endpoints where the application does not properly validate file extensions, content types, or file contents before storing uploaded files. Attackers can exploit this by uploading web shells, malicious scripts, or other harmful files that can be executed within the application's context, creating a persistent backdoor for further exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it provides attackers with direct execution capabilities on the target system. Once an attacker successfully uploads a malicious file, they can gain unauthorized access to the system, potentially leading to data exfiltration, privilege escalation, or use of the compromised system as a launch point for further attacks within the network. The vulnerability can be exploited without authentication, making it particularly dangerous as it allows any user with access to the application to potentially compromise the entire system. This flaw directly maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1078 for valid accounts, as attackers can leverage the uploaded files to maintain persistence and escalate privileges.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper file upload validation controls. Organizations should enforce strict file type validation by whitelisting acceptable extensions and content types, implement proper file naming conventions to prevent path traversal attacks, and ensure uploaded files are stored outside the web root directory. The application should also implement content validation by examining file headers and performing virus scanning on uploaded files. Additionally, access controls should be strengthened to limit file upload capabilities to authenticated users with appropriate privileges only. Regular security audits and input validation testing should be conducted to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in the future. The remediation process must include thorough code review of all file upload functionality and implementation of proper security headers to prevent execution of uploaded content.