CVE-2018-6022 in NoneCms
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in application/admin/controller/Main.php in NoneCms through 1.3.0 allows remote authenticated users to delete arbitrary files by leveraging back-office access to provide a ..\ in the param.path parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/26/2019
The CVE-2018-6022 vulnerability represents a critical directory traversal flaw within the NoneCms content management system version 1.3.0 and earlier. This vulnerability resides in the application/admin/controller/Main.php file and specifically targets the param.path parameter handling mechanism. The flaw allows authenticated attackers with administrative privileges to exploit a path traversal vulnerability that could enable them to delete arbitrary files from the server filesystem. The vulnerability manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user input containing directory traversal sequences such as ..\ which should be rejected or properly normalized during input validation.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a well-established pattern that aligns with CWE-22, which defines improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory. Attackers with valid administrative credentials can manipulate the param.path parameter to include directory traversal sequences that bypass normal file access controls. This allows them to navigate beyond the intended application directories and access files that should remain protected. The vulnerability specifically affects the file deletion functionality within the administrative interface, making it particularly dangerous as it could lead to complete system compromise through deletion of critical application files, configuration data, or even system binaries. The flaw essentially creates a privilege escalation path where administrative access can be leveraged to perform unauthorized file system operations.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on NoneCms for their web applications. The authenticated nature of the exploit means that attackers must already have administrative credentials, but this still represents a serious security weakness since it allows for privilege escalation within the administrative interface. The ability to delete arbitrary files could result in complete application downtime, data loss, or even system compromise if critical system files are removed. The vulnerability also enables attackers to potentially disrupt business operations by deleting configuration files, database connection details, or other critical components necessary for application functionality. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where administrative access is limited but still represents a high-value target for attackers seeking to cause maximum disruption.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-6022 should focus on immediate patching of the NoneCms application to version 1.3.1 or later where the vulnerability has been addressed. Organizations should implement proper input validation and sanitization for all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in file system operations. The implementation of a whitelist-based approach for file path validation can prevent directory traversal sequences from being processed. Additionally, the principle of least privilege should be enforced by ensuring that administrative interfaces have minimal required permissions and that file system access is properly restricted. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual file deletion patterns within administrative interfaces, and regular security audits should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the application stack. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block known directory traversal attack patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and output encoding as recommended by the OWASP Top Ten and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script interpreter usage in file system operations.