CVE-2017-16153 in gaoxuyan
Summary
by MITRE
gaoxuyan 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 • 02/09/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-16153 represents a critical directory traversal flaw in the gaoxuyan web application, which exposes the system to unauthorized file system access. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the application's URL parsing mechanism, allowing malicious actors to manipulate file paths through the use of relative path traversal sequences. The specific exploitation technique involves injecting "../" sequences into the URL parameters, which enables attackers to navigate beyond the intended directory boundaries and access restricted files on the server. This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-22, which specifically addresses improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks. The attack vector leverages the fundamental principle that web applications often fail to properly sanitize user-supplied input before using it in file system operations, creating opportunities for privilege escalation and data exfiltration.
The operational impact of this directory traversal vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with the capability to access sensitive system files, configuration data, application source code, and potentially user credentials stored on the affected server. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could gain access to database connection strings, application secrets, private keys, and other confidential information that could lead to further compromise of the affected system. The vulnerability's severity is amplified by its simplicity and the wide range of potential targets, as it affects any web application that does not properly validate or sanitize file path inputs. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1083, which covers the discovery of system information through directory traversal and path manipulation. The attack can be executed with minimal technical expertise, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by both skilled attackers and automated scanning tools to identify and exploit vulnerable systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-16153 require immediate implementation of robust input validation and sanitization measures within the application's file handling logic. Organizations should implement strict path validation that rejects any input containing directory traversal sequences, particularly the "../" pattern, and ensure that all file system operations occur within predetermined safe directories. The recommended approach involves implementing a whitelist-based validation mechanism that explicitly defines acceptable file paths and rejects any input that attempts to traverse beyond these boundaries. Additionally, the application should employ proper access controls and privilege separation, ensuring that file system operations are performed with minimal required permissions. Security patches should be applied immediately to address the root cause, and organizations should conduct comprehensive code reviews to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of their web applications. The remediation process should also include implementing proper logging and monitoring mechanisms to detect and alert on suspicious file access patterns, as well as conducting regular security assessments to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future development cycles.