CVE-2025-69166 in Gunslinger Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/17/2026
Unauthenticated Local File Inclusion in Gunslinger <= 1.7 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/20/2026
The vulnerability identified as unauthenticated local file inclusion in Gunslinger versions 1.7 and earlier represents a critical security flaw that allows attackers to access arbitrary files on the target system without requiring authentication credentials. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of CWE-22 known as "Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory" and is classified as a local file inclusion attack pattern within the ATT&CK framework under the technique of T1566. The flaw exists in the application's handling of file paths where user input is directly incorporated into file system operations without proper validation or sanitization, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to manipulate the application's behavior and gain unauthorized access to sensitive system resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly validate and sanitize user-supplied parameters that are used to determine which files should be processed or included. When a user provides input that is subsequently used in file operations, the application does not adequately verify that the requested file path remains within the intended directory boundaries. This allows attackers to craft malicious requests that can traverse directory structures and access files that should normally be restricted, including system configuration files, database files, or other sensitive resources that may contain authentication credentials, application secrets, or other confidential information. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates without requiring any authentication, making it accessible to anyone who can reach the vulnerable application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple information disclosure. An attacker with access to this vulnerability can potentially extract database connection strings, application configuration files containing API keys or secret tokens, user credentials stored in configuration files, or even system binaries that could be used to escalate privileges or establish persistence within the target environment. The lack of authentication requirements means that this vulnerability can be exploited from any network location, making it particularly attractive to threat actors who may be conducting reconnaissance or attempting to gain unauthorized access to sensitive systems. Additionally, the vulnerability could be leveraged as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks, including privilege escalation, lateral movement, or the establishment of backdoors within the compromised system.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust input validation and sanitization mechanisms that prevent path traversal attacks. Organizations should immediately upgrade to the latest version of Gunslinger where this vulnerability has been addressed through proper parameter validation and secure file access controls. The application should implement strict whitelisting of acceptable file paths and ensure that all user-supplied input is properly escaped or encoded before being used in file system operations. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of vulnerable applications to unauthorized users. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual file access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications within the organization's infrastructure, as path traversal flaws are commonly found in web applications and can have severe consequences when left unaddressed.