CVE-2017-5182 in Open Enterprise Server
Summary
by MITRE
Remote Manager in Open Enterprise Server (OES) allows unauthenticated remote attackers to read any arbitrary file, via a specially crafted URL, that allows complete directory traversal and total information disclosure. This vulnerability is present on all versions of OES for linux, it applies to OES2015 SP1 before Maintenance Update 11080, OES2015 before Maintenance Update 11079, OES11 SP3 before Maintenance Update 11078, OES11 SP2 before Maintenance Update 11077).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/14/2026
The CVE-2017-5182 vulnerability represents a critical directory traversal flaw in the Remote Manager component of Novell's Open Enterprise Server platform. This weakness allows unauthenticated remote attackers to access any file on the target system through carefully crafted URL requests, effectively bypassing all authentication mechanisms and providing complete system information disclosure. The vulnerability exists within the web interface of OES, specifically in how it processes file path requests, creating a pathway for attackers to navigate beyond the intended directory boundaries and retrieve sensitive data from arbitrary locations on the server filesystem. The flaw is particularly dangerous because it requires no valid credentials or authentication to exploit, making it accessible to any remote attacker with network connectivity to the affected system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the Remote Manager's file handling routines. When processing user-supplied URLs, the system fails to properly sanitize or validate directory path components, allowing attackers to inject sequences such as '../' that traverse up the directory tree. This type of vulnerability maps directly to CWE-22, which specifically addresses Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks. The flaw enables attackers to access not only configuration files and system binaries but potentially sensitive data files, user information, and system logs that should remain protected. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of OES including OES2015 and OES11 releases, spanning across several maintenance updates, indicating this was a widespread issue that persisted across the product lifecycle.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-5182 extends far beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with complete access to the underlying system filesystem. Successful exploitation can lead to the compromise of sensitive corporate data, system configuration details, and potentially enable further attacks through the discovery of system vulnerabilities or weak configurations. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to extract database connection strings, user credentials, application configuration files, and other critical system information that could facilitate additional compromise attempts. The vulnerability also enables attackers to potentially upload malicious files or modify existing system components, depending on the permissions and file access controls in place. From an adversary perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1083, which covers File and Directory Discovery, and T1071.004, covering Application Layer Protocol: DNS, as attackers can systematically enumerate and extract system information through crafted network requests.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches and updates, which address the directory traversal flaw in the Remote Manager component. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to the affected Remote Manager interface, particularly from untrusted networks. Additional protective measures include disabling the Remote Manager component if not essential for operations, implementing strict input validation for all web applications, and conducting thorough security assessments to identify any potential exploitation attempts. System administrators should monitor network traffic for suspicious URL patterns and implement intrusion detection systems to identify and alert on directory traversal attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and access control mechanisms in web applications, as well as the necessity of maintaining up-to-date security patches across all enterprise systems. Organizations should also consider implementing security awareness training for administrators to recognize and respond to potential exploitation attempts targeting such vulnerabilities.