Path Traversal in Mac Photo Gallery 3.0

Compliance Impact

The vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to download arbitrary files, including sensitive server files, by exploiting a path traversal flaw in the Mac Photo Gallery plugin. This exposure of sensitive data could lead to non-compliance with data protection regulations such as GDPR and HIPAA, which require safeguarding personal and sensitive information from unauthorized access.

Because attackers can access files outside the intended directory without authentication, organizations using the vulnerable plugin may risk unauthorized disclosure of protected data, potentially violating confidentiality and data protection requirements mandated by these standards.

Useful 0 Not Useful 0

Executive Summary

CVE-2017-20250 is a path traversal vulnerability in the Mac Photo Gallery WordPress plugin version 3.0. It allows unauthenticated attackers to download arbitrary files from the server by manipulating the 'albid' parameter in the 'macdownload.php' file. By using directory traversal sequences (e.g., ../../../wp-load.php), attackers can access sensitive files outside the intended plugin directory.

Useful 0 Not Useful 0

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability can have a significant impact because it allows attackers to download sensitive files from the server without any authentication. This could lead to exposure of critical server files, potentially compromising the security of the website and its data. Since the vulnerability has a high CVSS score (8.7 in version 4.0), it represents a serious security risk for unpatched installations of the plugin.

Useful 0 Not Useful 0

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability can be detected by monitoring HTTP requests to the 'macdownload.php' file for suspicious usage of the 'albid' parameter containing directory traversal sequences such as '../../../'.

A practical approach is to search web server logs for requests that include path traversal patterns targeting 'macdownload.php'.

• Use grep or similar tools to find suspicious requests in access logs, for example: grep "macdownload.php" /var/log/apache2/access.log | grep "albid=.*\.\./"
• Use network monitoring tools or intrusion detection systems to alert on HTTP requests with directory traversal patterns in the 'albid' parameter.

Useful 0 Not Useful 0

Mitigation Strategies

Immediate mitigation steps include disabling or removing the vulnerable Mac Photo Gallery plugin version 3.0 or below from your WordPress installation.

If removal is not immediately possible, restrict access to the 'macdownload.php' file by implementing web server rules to block requests containing directory traversal sequences in the 'albid' parameter.

Additionally, monitor your logs for exploitation attempts and apply any available patches or updates from the plugin developer as soon as they are released.

Useful 0 Not Useful 0