CVE-2019-5927 in an App
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in 'an' App for iOS Version 3.2.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/17/2023
The directory traversal vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-5927 affects an iOS application version 3.2.0 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw that enables remote attackers to access arbitrary files on the device. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-22, which specifically addresses improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks. The flaw manifests in the application's handling of file paths and input validation mechanisms, creating an opportunity for attackers to manipulate file access requests and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive data stored within the application's file system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of user-supplied input that is processed by the application's file access routines. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious requests that include directory traversal sequences such as "../" or "..\\", which allow them to navigate beyond the intended directory boundaries and access files that should remain restricted. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the description suggest that the vulnerability may be present across multiple input points within the application's file handling functionality, potentially affecting various file operations including file reads, writes, or listings. This broad attack surface increases the exploitability and potential impact of the vulnerability.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-5927 extends beyond simple unauthorized file access, as it can potentially lead to complete compromise of the application's data integrity and confidentiality. Attackers may leverage this vulnerability to access sensitive user information, application configuration files, cached data, or even system-level files depending on the application's permissions and the underlying operating system's security model. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require physical access to the device or network proximity to exploit the flaw, making it particularly dangerous in mobile environments where applications often handle sensitive personal and corporate data. This weakness directly violates the principle of least privilege and can enable further attacks such as privilege escalation or data exfiltration.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-5927 should focus on implementing robust input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the application's file handling code. Developers should employ absolute path validation techniques that ensure all file operations occur within designated safe directories and reject any input containing traversal sequences or special characters. The implementation should follow secure coding practices that align with the OWASP Secure Coding Practices and adhere to the ATT&CK framework's mitigation recommendations for path traversal attacks. Additionally, application developers should implement proper access controls and privilege management to limit the application's file system access to only necessary directories. The most effective remediation involves updating to version 3.2.1 or later of the affected application, which should contain patches addressing the directory traversal vulnerability. Organizations should also conduct thorough security assessments of their mobile applications and implement continuous monitoring to detect and prevent similar vulnerabilities in other components of their mobile infrastructure.