CVE-2024-35677: Mega Menu Path Traversal Vulnerability

CVE-2024-35677 Overview

Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability in StylemixThemes MegaMenu allows PHP Local File Inclusion.This issue affects MegaMenu: from n/a through 2.3.12.

Critical Impact

The vulnerability allows remote attackers to include local PHP files, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution and data exposure.

Affected Products

• StylemixThemes MegaMenu

Discovery Timeline

• Not Available - Vulnerability discovered
• Not Available - Responsible disclosure to StylemixThemes
• Not Available - CVE CVE-2024-35677 assigned
• Not Available - StylemixThemes releases security patch
• 2024-06-10 - CVE CVE-2024-35677 published to NVD
• 2024-11-21 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-35677

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability stems from improper validation of input file paths in the MegaMenu plugin, allowing traversal outside of the permitted directory, leading to potential local file inclusion of PHP scripts.

Root Cause

Lack of proper sanitization and validation of input paths allowing attackers to exploit path traversal to access unintended files.

Attack Vector

This vulnerability is exploitable via network vectors, where an attacker sends crafted requests to the affected components.

// Example exploitation code (sanitized)
echo '<pre>';
include($_REQUEST['file']);
echo '</pre>';

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-35677

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual file access patterns
• Inclusion of unexpected files in logs
• Unauthorized script executions

Detection Strategies

Utilize intrusion detection systems (IDS) to monitor for unusual file access requests and validate requests not originating from expected sources.

Monitoring Recommendations

Implement file integrity monitoring on sensitive directories and check access logs for patterns indicative of path traversal attempts.

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-35677

Immediate Actions Required

• Validate and sanitize all file path inputs
• Restrict file permissions to essential directories only
• Monitor access logs for anomalous patterns

Patch Information

No patch information is available at the moment. Stay updated with the vendor's advisories.

Workarounds

Ensure all user inputs are properly sanitized and use a whitelist for allowable file paths to limit exposure.

# Configuration example
ALLOWLIST=("/var/www/html")
FILE_TO_INCLUDE=$(basename "$1")
for DIR in "${ALLOWLIST[@]}"
do
    if [[ "$DIR" == *"$FILE_TO_INCLUDE"* ]]; then
        include "$DIR/$FILE_TO_INCLUDE"
    else
        echo "Access Denied"
    fi
done