CVE-2025-41035 in CMF
Summary
by MITRE • 09/04/2025
A problem has been discovered in appRain CMF 4.0.5. An authenticated Path Traversal vulnerability in /apprain/common/download/ allows remote users to bypass the intended SecurityManager restrictions and download any file if they have adequate permissions outside the document root configured on the server via the base64 path after /download/.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-41035 affects appRain CMF version 4.0.5 and represents a critical authenticated path traversal flaw within the application's download functionality. This security weakness exists in the /apprain/common/download/ endpoint where the system fails to properly validate and sanitize user-supplied input before processing file paths. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the application accepts a base64 encoded path parameter that is subsequently used to construct file access requests, creating an opportunity for attackers to manipulate the system's file access behavior. The flaw allows authenticated users to bypass the intended SecurityManager restrictions that should normally prevent access to files outside the designated document root directory structure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and insufficient sanitization of the base64 encoded path parameter. When a user submits a request containing a base64 encoded path, the application decodes this input without adequate verification of the resulting file path against the configured security boundaries. This allows an attacker to construct malicious paths that traverse directories beyond the intended scope, potentially accessing sensitive system files, configuration data, or other restricted resources that should remain protected from unauthorized access. The vulnerability specifically targets the application's security model by exploiting the trust placed in the internal path resolution mechanism, enabling attackers to escalate their privileges within the application's file access controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it provides authenticated users with the capability to perform unauthorized file system access operations that could lead to data exposure, system compromise, or further attack vectors. An attacker with valid credentials could potentially access database configuration files, application source code, user data, or system binaries that are not intended to be publicly accessible. This could result in information disclosure, privilege escalation, or the potential for additional attacks such as remote code execution if sensitive configuration files contain executable components or if the attacker can access system files that enable further exploitation. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it requires only authentication, making it accessible to users who already have legitimate access to the application but not necessarily administrative privileges.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and sanitization of all user-supplied paths before processing. The application should validate that decoded base64 paths remain within the designated document root boundaries and reject any attempts to traverse beyond these configured limits. Implementing a whitelist approach for allowed file paths or using a secure file access API that enforces proper path validation can prevent this class of vulnerability. Additionally, the application should log all file access attempts and implement monitoring for suspicious path traversal patterns. Organizations should also consider implementing principle of least privilege access controls and ensuring that the application's security manager is properly configured to prevent unauthorized access to system resources. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-22 Path Traversal and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1078 Valid Accounts and T1566 Phishing, as it exploits authenticated access to enable unauthorized file system operations. Regular security testing and input validation reviews should be implemented to prevent similar vulnerabilities in the application's architecture and to maintain the integrity of the system's file access controls.