CVE-2018-16237 in DamiCMS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in damiCMS V6.0.1. There is Directory Traversal via '|' characters in the s parameter to admin.php, as demonstrated by an admin.php?s=Tpl/Add/id/c:|windows|win.ini URI.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/19/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-16237 affects damiCMS version 6.0.1 and represents a directory traversal flaw that allows unauthorized access to sensitive system files through improper input validation. This issue specifically manifests when the application processes the s parameter in the admin.php script, where the pipe character | is used as a delimiter in the path traversal mechanism. The vulnerability enables attackers to navigate through the file system beyond the intended directory boundaries by exploiting how the application handles these special characters in the URI structure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate sanitization of user-supplied input within the content management system's administrative interface. When the s parameter contains the pipe character followed by directory traversal sequences such as |windows|win.ini, the application fails to properly validate or sanitize this input before using it in file system operations. This weakness allows the attacker to construct malicious paths that bypass normal access controls and retrieve system files that should remain protected. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-22 as a directory traversal or path traversal issue, which is a well-known category of security flaws that has been consistently documented in various security frameworks and standards.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with access to critical system configuration files and potentially sensitive data stored within the application's directory structure. The specific example demonstrates how an attacker could access the windows win.ini file, which contains system configuration settings that could be valuable for further exploitation or reconnaissance. This type of vulnerability can enable attackers to gain insights into the underlying operating system, application configuration, and potentially extract credentials or other sensitive information that could be used for privilege escalation or additional attacks.
The attack vector for this vulnerability is particularly concerning as it requires minimal effort to exploit and can be executed through simple URL manipulation. The use of the pipe character as a delimiter in the URI structure suggests that the application may be using a specific parsing mechanism that does not adequately validate or sanitize the input before processing. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) and could potentially lead to T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) if the attacker can leverage the discovered information to execute malicious code on the system. Organizations using damiCMS version 6.0.1 are at risk of unauthorized access to system files, which could lead to complete system compromise if attackers can use the discovered information to escalate privileges or gain additional access points.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the application's administrative interface. The recommended approach includes implementing strict validation of all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in file system operations, and ensuring that the application does not accept or process input containing special characters that could be used for path traversal. Organizations should also implement proper access controls and authentication mechanisms to limit who can access the administrative interface, as well as apply the latest security patches and updates from the software vendor. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring should be implemented to detect and prevent unauthorized access attempts to administrative interfaces, which can help identify exploitation attempts and limit the potential damage from such vulnerabilities.