Web Server Directory Traversal Arbitrary File Access

high Nessus Plugin ID 10297

Synopsis

The remote web server is affected by a directory traversal vulnerability.

Description

It appears possible to read arbitrary files on the remote host outside the web server's document directory using a specially crafted URL. An unauthenticated attacker may be able to exploit this issue to access sensitive information to aide in subsequent attacks.

Note that this plugin is not limited to testing for known vulnerabilities in a specific set of web servers. Instead, it attempts a variety of generic directory traversal attacks and considers a product to be vulnerable simply if it finds evidence of the contents of '/etc/passwd' or a Windows 'win.ini' file in the response. It may, in fact, uncover 'new' issues, that have yet to be reported to the product's vendor.

Solution

Contact the vendor for an update, use a different product, or disable the service altogether.

Plugin Details

Severity: High

ID: 10297

File Name: web_traversal.nasl

Version: 1.126

Type: remote

Family: Web Servers

Published: 11/5/1999

Updated: 4/7/2023

Supported Sensors: Nessus

Risk Information

CVSS Score Rationale: Score based on generic tda vulnerability.

CVSS v2

Risk Factor: High

Base Score: 7.1

Temporal Score: 6.2

Vector: CVSS2#AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:N/A:N

CVSS Score Source: manual

Vulnerability Information

Exploit Available: true

Exploit Ease: Exploits are available

Exploited by Nessus: true

Reference Information

CWE: 22