CVE-2017-16215 in sgqserve
Summary
by MITRE
sgqserve is a simple file server. sgqserve 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 vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-16215 affects sgqserve, a simple file server implementation that suffers from a critical directory traversal flaw. This issue stems from inadequate input validation within the URL parsing mechanism, allowing remote attackers to access arbitrary files on the server's filesystem by manipulating URL paths through the strategic insertion of "../" sequences. The vulnerability represents a classic path traversal attack vector that has been documented extensively in cybersecurity literature and commonly affects web applications and file servers that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied input before processing file requests.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when the sgqserve application processes URLs containing directory traversal sequences without proper validation or sanitization. When an attacker submits a request containing "../" sequences in the URL, the server fails to properly resolve the requested path, allowing access to files outside the intended directory structure. This flaw directly maps to CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal vulnerabilities. The vulnerability exists at the application layer where user input is not properly validated, sanitized, or normalized before being used in file system operations.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe security risk to systems running sgqserve as it allows attackers to potentially access sensitive files including configuration files, database files, system binaries, and other confidential data that may be stored on the server. The attack surface extends beyond simple file access to include potential privilege escalation, data exfiltration, and system compromise depending on the server's configuration and file permissions. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) and T1566 (Phishing with Malicious Attachment) as attackers can leverage this flaw to discover and extract sensitive information from compromised systems.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-16215 should focus on implementing proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the sgqserve application. Organizations should immediately apply patches or updates provided by the software vendor if available, or implement defensive coding practices that normalize and validate all user-supplied input before processing file requests. The solution involves implementing proper path resolution logic that prevents traversal beyond the intended directory boundaries, often achieved through techniques such as canonicalizing paths, maintaining a whitelist of allowed directories, or using secure file access APIs that prevent path traversal attacks. Additionally, network-level controls such as web application firewalls and access control lists should be implemented to provide additional layers of defense against exploitation attempts.