CVE-2017-16174 in whispercast
Summary
by MITRE
whispercast is a file server. whispercast 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 • 02/16/2020
The CVE-2017-16174 vulnerability affects whispercast, a file server implementation that suffers from a critical directory traversal flaw. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the application's URL parsing mechanism, allowing remote attackers to access arbitrary files on the underlying filesystem through crafted requests containing directory traversal sequences. The flaw specifically manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied URL parameters, enabling attackers to navigate beyond the intended directory structure and retrieve sensitive files from the server's file system.
This directory traversal vulnerability represents a classic security flaw that maps to CWE-22, which defines improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal. The vulnerability allows attackers to bypass normal access controls and potentially access confidential data, configuration files, or system resources that should remain restricted. The exploitation technique involves inserting sequences such as "../" into the URL path parameter, which the application processes without adequate sanitization, leading to unauthorized file access. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in file server contexts where the application may have access to sensitive system files or user data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can potentially lead to complete system compromise. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could access system configuration files, user credentials, application source code, or other sensitive data stored on the server. Depending on the server's configuration and the privileges under which whispercast operates, this could enable further exploitation such as arbitrary code execution or privilege escalation. The vulnerability affects any system running whispercast that has not implemented proper input validation or access controls to prevent directory traversal attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-16174 should focus on implementing robust input validation and sanitization mechanisms. Organizations should ensure that all user-supplied input, particularly URL parameters, undergoes strict validation to prevent the inclusion of directory traversal sequences such as "../" or "..\". This can be achieved through the implementation of allow-list validation, where only known good characters and patterns are permitted in URL paths. Additionally, the application should enforce proper access controls and operate with the principle of least privilege, limiting the file system permissions of the whispercast service. System administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls or security filters that can detect and block suspicious directory traversal patterns. The remediation efforts should align with industry best practices outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and should be part of a comprehensive security posture that includes regular vulnerability assessments and security code reviews to prevent similar issues in future implementations.