CVE-2024-58282

Technical Details

CVE-2024-58282 stems from insufficient input validation within the media upload functionality of Serendipity 2.5.0. An authenticated administrator can upload files, including PHP files, without proper sanitization. An attacker can exploit this by crafting a PHP file containing malicious code, such as a PHP shell with a command execution form. Upon uploading and accessing this malicious PHP file, the attacker can execute arbitrary system commands on the underlying web server with the privileges of the web server user. The vulnerability exists because the system fails to adequately verify the file type and content before storing it on the server. This allows the attacker to bypass intended security measures and inject executable code into the system.

The core issue lies in the lack of robust file type validation and the absence of measures to prevent the execution of uploaded files. While Serendipity may have some basic file type checks, they are insufficient to prevent a determined attacker from crafting a malicious PHP file that bypasses these checks. For instance, an attacker might use techniques like double extensions (e.g., 'image.php.jpg') or MIME type manipulation to trick the system into accepting the malicious file.