CVE-2017-16107 in pooledwebsocket
Summary
by MITRE
pooledwebsocket is vulnerable to a directory traversal issue, giving an attacker access to the filesystem by placing "../" in the url.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/15/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-16107 affects the pooledwebsocket library, exposing a critical directory traversal flaw that allows remote attackers to access arbitrary files on the affected system. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the websocket implementation, specifically when processing URL paths that contain directory traversal sequences. The flaw enables malicious actors to navigate beyond the intended directory boundaries by injecting "../" sequences into the URL parameters, thereby gaining unauthorized access to sensitive files and directories that should remain protected.
This directory traversal vulnerability represents a classic security weakness that falls under CWE-22, which categorizes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory. The issue occurs when the pooledwebsocket library fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before using it to construct file paths or determine resource access. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it can be exploited through websocket connections, which are commonly used for real-time communication and may have elevated privileges or access to sensitive system resources. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to read configuration files, source code, database files, or other sensitive information that should not be accessible through the websocket interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple file access, as it can potentially lead to complete system compromise. When an attacker successfully exploits this directory traversal flaw, they may gain access to critical system components including application configuration files that often contain database credentials, API keys, and other sensitive authentication information. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in environments where websocket connections are used for administrative functions or contain sensitive data processing capabilities. This type of vulnerability can also serve as a stepping stone for further attacks, allowing threat actors to map the file system structure and identify additional targets for exploitation. The attack requires minimal sophistication and can be automated, making it particularly attractive to malicious actors seeking to compromise systems with minimal effort.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-16107 should focus on implementing robust input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the pooledwebsocket library. The most effective approach involves implementing strict path validation that rejects any input containing directory traversal sequences such as "../" or "..\". Organizations should also consider implementing proper access controls and privilege separation to limit the damage that can be caused by such vulnerabilities. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring of websocket traffic can help detect suspicious activity patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include updating to patched versions of the pooledwebsocket library and conducting thorough security assessments of all websocket implementations to identify similar vulnerabilities. Security teams should also implement logging and alerting mechanisms to monitor for directory traversal attempts and ensure that any exploitation attempts are quickly detected and responded to. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in networked applications and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of all components that handle user-supplied data.