CVE-2024-35745 in Strategery Migrations Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/10/2024
Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability in Gabriel Somoza / Joseph Fitzgibbons Strategery Migrations allows Path Traversal, File Manipulation.This issue affects Strategery Migrations: from n/a through 1.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/13/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-35745 represents a critical path traversal flaw within the Strategery Migrations tool developed by Gabriel Somoza and Joseph Fitzgibbons. This security weakness resides in the improper limitation of pathname parameters to restricted directories, creating an avenue for attackers to manipulate file system access patterns. The vulnerability specifically impacts versions of the software ranging from an unspecified starting point through version 1.0, indicating that all releases within this range are potentially susceptible to exploitation. Path traversal vulnerabilities occur when applications fail to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied input that contains directory path information, allowing malicious actors to navigate beyond intended directories and access restricted files or directories.
The technical implementation of this flaw enables unauthorized file manipulation through carefully crafted pathname sequences that bypass normal access controls. When the application processes user input containing traversal characters such as '../' or similar directory navigation patterns, it fails to adequately sanitize or validate these inputs before using them in file system operations. This allows attackers to specify arbitrary file paths that can access sensitive system files, configuration data, or other resources that should remain restricted. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-22 category, which specifically addresses improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, making it a well-documented and severe class of security flaws. The attack vector typically involves injecting malicious path sequences into parameters that are subsequently used in file operations, potentially leading to complete system compromise or data exfiltration.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple file access manipulation to encompass potential system compromise and data leakage. An attacker exploiting this weakness could gain access to sensitive configuration files, database credentials, application source code, or other confidential information stored on the system. The vulnerability's presence in the migration tool context is particularly concerning as migration processes often involve handling sensitive data from various sources, creating additional attack surface for potential exploitation. The scope of damage can range from information disclosure to complete system control depending on the privileges of the affected application and the sensitivity of files accessible through the traversal mechanism. This vulnerability directly aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1078 Valid Accounts for initial access and T1566 Phishing for initial compromise, while also supporting T1005 Data from Local System and T1021 Remote Services for lateral movement and privilege escalation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-35745 should focus on implementing robust input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the application's file handling processes. The primary defense involves enforcing strict path validation that prevents the use of directory traversal sequences in user-supplied input before any file system operations are performed. Organizations should implement proper access controls that restrict file system access to only necessary directories and employ absolute path resolution to prevent relative path manipulation. The solution requires comprehensive input sanitization that removes or encodes potentially dangerous characters and sequences from all user-supplied paths before processing. Additionally, maintaining up-to-date software versions and applying patches promptly when available will eliminate this vulnerability from affected systems. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual file access patterns and directory traversal attempts to identify potential exploitation attempts. The implementation of principle of least privilege for application accounts and regular security audits of file handling processes will further reduce the risk of successful exploitation. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems that can identify and block known path traversal attack patterns.