CVE-2018-1299 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies
Learn about CVE-2018-1299 affecting Apache Allura. Unauthorized individuals can access arbitrary files through the web application. Find out how to mitigate this vulnerability.
Apache Allura before version 1.8.0 allows unauthenticated attackers to access arbitrary files through the web application. Some webservers like Nginx or Apache/mod_wsgi can prevent this attack, but others like gunicorn leave Allura vulnerable.
Understanding CVE-2018-1299
Apache Allura directory traversal vulnerability
What is CVE-2018-1299?
Prior to version 1.8.0 of Apache Allura, unauthorized individuals can access any files via the Allura web application. Certain web servers like Nginx, Apache/mod_wsgi, or paster may hinder the attack, while servers like gunicorn do not mitigate the risk.
The Impact of CVE-2018-1299
- Unauthorized individuals can retrieve arbitrary files through the Allura web application
- Certain webservers can prevent the attack, but others leave Allura vulnerable
Technical Details of CVE-2018-1299
Apache Allura directory traversal vulnerability
Vulnerability Description
In Apache Allura before 1.8.0, unauthenticated attackers may retrieve arbitrary files through the Allura web application. Some webservers used with Allura, such as Nginx, Apache/mod_wsgi, or paster may prevent the attack from succeeding. Others, such as gunicorn, do not prevent it and leave Allura vulnerable.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Product: Apache Allura
- Vendor: Apache Software Foundation
- Versions Affected: 1.0.0 to 1.7.0
Exploitation Mechanism
- Unauthorized individuals exploiting the vulnerability can access any files via the Allura web application
- Certain webservers like Nginx, Apache/mod_wsgi, or paster may hinder the success of the attack
- Servers like gunicorn fail to mitigate the risk, leaving Allura susceptible
Mitigation and Prevention
Immediate Steps to Take:
- Upgrade Apache Allura to version 1.8.0 or newer
- Implement access controls to restrict unauthorized access
Long-Term Security Practices:
- Regularly monitor and audit file access logs
- Conduct security assessments to identify and address vulnerabilities
Patching and Updates:
- Apply patches and updates provided by Apache Software Foundation