CVE-2018-14429 in man-cgi
Summary
by MITRE
man-cgi before 1.16 allows Local File Inclusion via absolute path traversal, as demonstrated by a cgi-bin/man-cgi?/etc/passwd URI.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/02/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-14429 affects the man-cgi utility version 1.16 and earlier, presenting a critical local file inclusion flaw that enables attackers to access arbitrary files on the system through carefully crafted URI requests. This vulnerability specifically manifests when the application processes absolute path traversal sequences within the URI, allowing unauthorized access to sensitive system files that should remain protected from user enumeration and retrieval.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the man-cgi application's processing of URI parameters. When a malicious user submits a request containing an absolute path such as cgi-bin/man-cgi?/etc/passwd, the application fails to properly sanitize or validate the input before attempting to retrieve and display the requested file content. This lack of proper input sanitization creates a direct pathway for attackers to traverse the file system and access files that are not intended to be exposed through the web interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with the ability to enumerate system resources and potentially extract sensitive data such as password files, configuration settings, and other system information that could be leveraged for further attacks. The vulnerability operates at the application level and can be exploited without requiring authentication, making it particularly dangerous in environments where the man-cgi utility is accessible to unauthenticated users. This flaw directly relates to CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the ATT&CK framework, specifically under the technique T1083 - File and Directory Discovery, where adversaries seek to identify file systems and directories for potential exploitation. The vulnerability also aligns with T1566 - Phishing with Malicious Attachments, as attackers might use information gathered through such path traversal to craft more sophisticated social engineering attacks. The impact of this vulnerability can be amplified when combined with other weaknesses in the system, potentially leading to privilege escalation or complete system compromise.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the man-cgi application, ensuring that all URI parameters are strictly validated against a whitelist of acceptable paths. The recommended approach includes implementing a secure coding practice that explicitly rejects or removes absolute path components from user input before processing. Additionally, system administrators should immediately upgrade to version 1.16 or later of the man-cgi utility, which contains patches specifically designed to address this path traversal vulnerability. Access controls should be implemented to restrict access to the man-cgi interface, and comprehensive logging should be enabled to monitor for suspicious URI patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and web application firewalls to provide additional layers of protection against such attacks.