CVE-2018-7172 in WonderCMS
Summary
by MITRE
In index.php in WonderCMS 2.4.0, remote attackers can delete arbitrary files via directory traversal.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/16/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-7172 affects WonderCMS version 2.4.0 and represents a critical directory traversal flaw that enables remote attackers to delete arbitrary files from the affected system. This vulnerability exists within the index.php file, which serves as the primary entry point for the content management system. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly filter user-supplied data before processing file operations. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious requests that manipulate file paths to navigate beyond the intended directory boundaries, thereby gaining unauthorized access to the file system and executing destructive operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability falls under the category of path traversal attacks, which are classified as CWE-22 according to the Common Weakness Enumeration framework. The flaw operates by allowing attackers to manipulate the file system through specially crafted parameters that bypass normal access controls. When WonderCMS processes requests through index.php, it does not adequately validate or sanitize file path inputs, enabling attackers to append directory traversal sequences such as ../ or ..\ to navigate to parent directories and access files outside the intended web root. This vulnerability specifically impacts the file deletion functionality, allowing remote attackers to remove files that they would normally not have access to, potentially leading to complete system compromise or data destruction.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple file deletion capabilities, as it represents a severe privilege escalation vector that can lead to full system compromise. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can potentially delete critical system files, configuration files, or even the entire CMS installation, rendering the website inaccessible. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur from any location without requiring physical access to the server, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that host sensitive data. This vulnerability also aligns with several techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1059 and T1070 categories, specifically targeting file and directory manipulation as part of broader attack chains. The impact is amplified when considering that WonderCMS is a web-based content management system, meaning that successful exploitation could result in complete website defacement, data loss, or the ability to establish persistent access through the deletion of security-related files.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-7172 should focus on immediate patching of the affected WonderCMS version, as the vendor has released updates addressing this specific vulnerability. Organizations should implement proper input validation and sanitization measures, ensuring that all file path operations are properly validated against a whitelist of allowed directories and file names. The implementation of proper access controls and privilege separation can help limit the damage that could occur if such vulnerabilities are exploited. Additionally, network-level protections such as web application firewalls should be configured to detect and block suspicious path traversal attempts. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the web application stack. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of keeping all software components updated and following secure coding practices that prevent directory traversal attacks through proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms.