CVE-2025-2493
Remediation/Mitigation Strategy for CVE-2025-2493: Path Traversal in Softdial Contact Center
Vulnerability Description:
CVE-2025-2493 is a Path Traversal vulnerability identified in the Softdial Contact Center software developed by Sytel Ltd. The vulnerability exists within the /softdial/scheduler/load.php endpoint. An attacker can manipulate the id parameter of this endpoint to navigate beyond the intended directory, potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive files outside the software’s intended scope.
Severity:
The vulnerability is rated as High Severity with a CVSS score of 8.7. This is due to the potential for unauthorized access to sensitive information and the ease of exploitation.
Known Exploit:
The description indicates that the id parameter of the /softdial/scheduler/load.php endpoint is vulnerable to manipulation. An attacker can craft a malicious request using path traversal sequences (e.g., ../, ..%2F, or absolute paths) within the id parameter to access files outside the intended directory.
Example Exploit Scenario:
An attacker might send a request like this:
GET /softdial/scheduler/load.php?id=../../../../etc/passwd
This request attempts to read the system’s password file (/etc/passwd) by navigating up multiple directories from the expected file location.
Remediation and Mitigation Strategy:
The following steps should be taken to remediate and mitigate this vulnerability:
1. Input Validation and Sanitization (Immediate Action):
Implement strict input validation: Thoroughly validate the
idparameter within the/softdial/scheduler/load.phpendpoint.- Whitelist Allowed Characters: Allow only alphanumeric characters, underscores, hyphens, and periods. Reject any other characters, especially those commonly used in path traversal attacks (e.g.,
/,\,..,%2E%2E). - Regular Expression: Use a regular expression to enforce the allowed character set and format.
- Validate File Existence: Ensure that the file requested actually exists within the intended directory.
- Whitelist Allowed Characters: Allow only alphanumeric characters, underscores, hyphens, and periods. Reject any other characters, especially those commonly used in path traversal attacks (e.g.,
Path Normalization: Normalize the input path to remove any path traversal sequences before using it to access files. Use secure path normalization functions provided by the programming language or framework. For example, in PHP, use
realpath()orbasename()in conjunction with whitelisting.Sanitize Input: Apply sanitization techniques to the
idparameter to remove or encode any potentially malicious characters.
2. Access Control (Immediate Action):
- Principle of Least Privilege: Ensure that the user account running the web application has only the necessary permissions to access required files. Avoid running the application with root or administrator privileges.
- Restrict File Access: Configure the web server and operating system to restrict access to sensitive files and directories from the web application. Use appropriate file permissions and access control lists (ACLs).
3. Patching and Upgrading (Long-Term):
- Contact Sytel Ltd: Immediately contact Sytel Ltd. and request a security patch or updated version of Softdial Contact Center that addresses CVE-2025-2493.
- Apply Patches Promptly: Once a patch or updated version is available, apply it as soon as possible, following the vendor’s instructions.
- Stay Informed: Subscribe to Sytel Ltd.’s security advisories or monitoring services to stay informed about future vulnerabilities and security updates.
4. Web Application Firewall (WAF) (Short-Term/Medium-Term):
- Implement a WAF: Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to detect and block path traversal attacks against the
/softdial/scheduler/load.phpendpoint. - WAF Rules: Configure the WAF with rules that specifically target path traversal attempts, such as:
- Blocking requests containing
../or..%2F. - Blocking requests with absolute file paths.
- Limiting the allowed characters in the
idparameter.
- Blocking requests containing
- Regularly Update WAF Rules: Keep the WAF rules updated with the latest threat intelligence and vulnerability information.
5. Security Auditing and Penetration Testing (Ongoing):
- Regular Security Audits: Conduct regular security audits of the Softdial Contact Center installation to identify any potential vulnerabilities or misconfigurations.
- Penetration Testing: Perform penetration testing, specifically targeting the
/softdial/scheduler/load.phpendpoint, to verify the effectiveness of the remediation and mitigation strategies.
6. Monitoring and Logging (Ongoing):
- Enable Detailed Logging: Enable detailed logging for the web server and application to record all requests to the
/softdial/scheduler/load.phpendpoint. - Monitor Logs for Suspicious Activity: Monitor the logs for suspicious activity, such as:
- Requests containing path traversal sequences.
- Requests to access files outside the intended directory.
- Unusual error messages.
- Alerting: Configure alerting mechanisms to notify security personnel of any suspicious activity.
Rollback Plan:
In case of issues after applying a patch or update:
- Document: Thoroughly document the issue.
- Restore: Restore the system to the previous state using backups created before the patch was applied.
- Investigate: Investigate the root cause of the issue and work with Sytel Ltd. to identify a fix.
- Re-apply: Once a fix is available, re-apply the patch or update in a controlled environment before deploying it to production.
By implementing these remediation and mitigation steps, the risk associated with CVE-2025-2493 can be significantly reduced.
Assigner
- Spanish National Cybersecurity Institute, S.A. (INCIBE) [email protected]
Date
- Published Date: 2025-03-18 11:20:15
- Updated Date: 2025-03-18 12:15:16