📄 Description (English)
PMB 5.6 contains a local file disclosure vulnerability in getgif.php that allows attackers to read arbitrary system files by manipulating the 'chemin' parameter. Attackers can exploit the unsanitized file path input to access sensitive files like /etc/passwd by sending crafted requests to the getgif.php endpoint.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
CVE-2020-36970 is a path traversal vulnerability in PMB 5.6's getgif.php that enables unauthenticated attackers to read arbitrary system files through unsanitized 'chemin' parameter manipulation. With a CVSS score of 8.4, this vulnerability poses significant risk to organizations running vulnerable PMB instances, potentially exposing sensitive configuration files, credentials, and system information. Immediate patching is critical as exploitation requires minimal technical sophistication.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: Apr 24, 2026 11:53
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
This vulnerability primarily impacts Saudi organizations using PMB (Koha-based library management systems) in government libraries, university libraries, and public institutions. Government sector libraries under NCA oversight and academic institutions are at highest risk. Healthcare institutions using PMB for medical library management, and large enterprises with document management systems based on PMB are also vulnerable. Exploitation could expose classified documents, research data, personnel records, and system credentials, directly violating NCA ECC 2024 data protection requirements.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Government (Libraries, Archives, Document Management)
Education (University Libraries, Academic Institutions)
Healthcare (Medical Libraries, Health Information Systems)
Public Sector (Municipal Libraries, Public Institutions)
Enterprise (Large Organizations with Document Management Systems)
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
7.8
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
1. Identify all systems running PMB 5.6 and document their network locations and data sensitivity levels
2. Implement network-level access controls restricting access to getgif.php endpoint to authorized users only
3. Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to block requests containing path traversal patterns (../, ..\ , %2e%2e) in the 'chemin' parameter
PATCHING:
1. Upgrade PMB to version 5.7 or later immediately
2. If immediate upgrade is not possible, apply vendor security patches when available
3. Test patches in non-production environment before deployment
COMPENSATING CONTROLS (if patch unavailable):
1. Implement input validation: whitelist allowed file paths and reject any requests containing directory traversal sequences
2. Run PMB with minimal file system permissions (principle of least privilege)
3. Disable getgif.php if not actively used
4. Implement strict file access controls on sensitive system files (/etc/passwd, configuration files)
DETECTION:
1. Monitor web server logs for requests to getgif.php containing: ../, ..\ , %2e%2e, or encoded variants
2. Alert on any access to /etc/passwd or other sensitive system files via web application
3. Implement IDS/IPS signatures for path traversal attempts
4. Log all file access attempts from web application processes
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. تحديد جميع الأنظمة التي تشغل PMB 5.6 وتوثيق مواقعها على الشبكة ومستويات حساسية البيانات
2. تطبيق عناصر التحكم في الوصول على مستوى الشبكة لتقييد الوصول إلى نقطة نهاية getgif.php للمستخدمين المصرح لهم فقط
3. نشر قواعد جدار حماية تطبيقات الويب (WAF) لحجب الطلبات التي تحتوي على أنماط اجتياز المسار (../, ..\ , %2e%2e) في معامل 'chemin'
التصحيح:
1. ترقية PMB إلى الإصدار 5.7 أو أحدث فوراً
2. إذا لم يكن الترقية الفورية ممكنة، طبق تصحيحات الأمان من المورد عند توفرها
3. اختبر التصحيحات في بيئة غير الإنتاج قبل النشر
عناصر التحكم البديلة (إذا لم يكن التصحيح متاحاً):
1. تطبيق التحقق من صحة الإدخال: إدراج المسارات المسموحة في القائمة البيضاء ورفض أي طلبات تحتوي على تسلسلات اجتياز الدليل
2. تشغيل PMB بأقل صلاحيات نظام الملفات (مبدأ أقل امتياز)
3. تعطيل getgif.php إذا لم يكن قيد الاستخدام النشط
4. تطبيق عناصر تحكم صارمة في الوصول إلى الملفات الحساسة (/etc/passwd، ملفات التكوين)
الكشف:
1. مراقبة سجلات خادم الويب للطلبات إلى getgif.php التي تحتوي على: ../, ..\ , %2e%2e، أو متغيرات مشفرة
2. تنبيه عند أي وصول إلى /etc/passwd أو ملفات نظام حساسة أخرى عبر تطبيق الويب
3. تطبيق توقيعات IDS/IPS لمحاولات اجتياز المسار
4. تسجيل جميع محاولات الوصول إلى الملفات من عمليات تطبيق الويب
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
ECC 2024 A.5.1.1 - Information Security Policies (file access controls)
ECC 2024 A.5.2.1 - User Access Management (principle of least privilege)
ECC 2024 A.5.3.1 - Access Control (restrict unauthorized file access)
ECC 2024 A.6.2.1 - Cryptography and Data Protection (sensitive data exposure)
ECC 2024 A.12.4.1 - Logging and Monitoring (detect unauthorized access attempts)
🔵 SAMA CSF
SAMA CSF ID.AM-2 - Asset Management (identify vulnerable systems)
SAMA CSF PR.AC-1 - Access Control (restrict file access)
SAMA CSF PR.PT-1 - Protection Processes (patch management)
SAMA CSF DE.CM-1 - Detection and Analysis (monitor for exploitation)
SAMA CSF RS.MI-2 - Incident Response (contain and remediate)
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
ISO 27001:2022 A.5.1 - Policies for information security (file access policies)
ISO 27001:2022 A.5.2 - Information security roles and responsibilities
ISO 27001:2022 A.5.3 - Segregation of duties
ISO 27001:2022 A.6.1 - Cryptography (protect sensitive data)
ISO 27001:2022 A.8.1 - User endpoint devices (secure configuration)
ISO 27001:2022 A.12.6 - Management of technical vulnerabilities (patch management)
🔗 References & Sources 4