CVE-2018-6810 in NetScaler ADC
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in NetScaler ADC 10.5, 11.0, 11.1, and 12.0, and NetScaler Gateway 10.5, 11.0, 11.1, and 12.0 allows remote attackers to traverse the directory on the target system via a crafted request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/17/2023
The CVE-2018-6810 vulnerability represents a critical directory traversal flaw affecting Citrix NetScaler ADC and Gateway appliances across multiple versions including 10.5, 11.0, 11.1, and 12.0. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the web interface handling of file paths, allowing malicious actors to manipulate request parameters to access unauthorized directories on the target system. The flaw specifically manifests when the appliance processes user-supplied data without proper sanitization, enabling attackers to construct malicious requests that bypass normal file access controls and navigate to sensitive system directories.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through crafted HTTP requests that manipulate path traversal sequences such as ../ or ..\ to escape the intended directory boundaries. When the NetScaler appliance processes these malformed requests, it fails to properly validate the requested file paths, allowing the attacker to access configuration files, system binaries, and potentially sensitive data that should remain restricted to authorized administrators. This weakness directly maps to CWE-22, which defines improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents severe implications for organizations relying on Citrix NetScaler appliances for application delivery and secure access management. Remote attackers can exploit this flaw to gain unauthorized access to critical system components, potentially leading to full system compromise, data exfiltration, and disruption of business services. The vulnerability affects both ADC and Gateway versions, meaning that organizations with hybrid deployments face exposure across their entire infrastructure. Attackers can leverage this weakness to access sensitive configuration data, user credentials, and system logs that may contain authentication tokens or other valuable information for further exploitation.
The impact extends beyond immediate unauthorized access as attackers can potentially escalate privileges, modify system configurations, or establish persistent access points within the network. This vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1059 for command and script injection, T1083 for file and directory traversal, and T1566 for credential harvesting through social engineering or direct access to stored credentials. Organizations using these appliances should consider implementing network segmentation, access control lists, and monitoring for suspicious path traversal patterns in web logs. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and the principle of least privilege in application security design. Mitigation strategies include applying official Citrix patches, implementing web application firewalls, and conducting thorough security assessments of all NetScaler deployments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities across the infrastructure.