CVE-2022-26646 in Online Banking System Protect
Summary
by MITRE • 03/31/2022
Online Banking System Protect v1.0 was discovered to contain a local file inclusion (LFI) vulnerability via the pages parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/16/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-26646 represents a critical local file inclusion flaw within the Online Banking System Protect v1.0 software. This security weakness resides in the system's handling of user-supplied input through the pages parameter, which allows unauthorized access to local files on the server hosting the banking application. The vulnerability specifically affects the application's dynamic page inclusion mechanism, where user input is directly processed without adequate sanitization or validation. This creates an exploitable condition where malicious actors can manipulate the pages parameter to traverse the file system and potentially access sensitive files such as configuration data, database credentials, or system logs that should remain protected from unauthorized access.
The technical implementation of this LFI vulnerability stems from the application's insecure coding practices where the pages parameter is used to determine which content page to display to users. When the application receives a request containing a pages parameter, it directly incorporates this value into file inclusion functions without proper input validation or sanitization. This allows attackers to supply malicious input such as directory traversal sequences like ../ or ../../ to navigate beyond the intended directory structure. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-22 as Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory, which is a fundamental weakness in input validation that enables attackers to access files outside the intended scope of the application's file system access. This weakness directly enables path traversal attacks that can lead to complete system compromise when combined with other vulnerabilities or when the application has access to sensitive system files.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to critical system resources and potentially escalate their privileges within the banking environment. An attacker who successfully exploits this LFI vulnerability could access database connection strings, application configuration files, user credentials stored in plaintext, and other sensitive data that would normally be protected by proper file system permissions. The banking system's security posture becomes significantly weakened, as this vulnerability could allow an attacker to obtain information that might lead to further exploitation, including potential access to customer data, transaction records, or even system administrative credentials. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1083 - File and Directory Discovery and T1566 - Phishing, as attackers can use the discovered information to conduct more sophisticated attacks or gain deeper access to the system. The impact is particularly severe in financial environments where data protection and regulatory compliance are paramount, as unauthorized access to banking system files could result in significant financial losses and regulatory penalties.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-26646 must address both the immediate vulnerability and implement broader security controls to prevent similar issues in the future. The primary remediation involves implementing proper input validation and sanitization for all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in file inclusion operations. This includes implementing allow-list validation where only predetermined, safe values are accepted for the pages parameter, and ensuring that all user input is properly escaped or encoded before being used in file system operations. Additionally, the application should be configured to run with minimal privileges and restricted file system access, preventing access to sensitive directories even if the vulnerability is exploited. Organizations should also implement proper logging and monitoring to detect attempts to exploit this vulnerability, as well as conduct regular security testing including dynamic application security testing and manual penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities. The remediation process should also include updating to the latest version of the Online Banking System Protect software where the vulnerability has been patched, and implementing proper security configuration management to ensure that all applications follow secure coding practices and maintain appropriate access controls.