📄 Description (English)
Problem in the Small HTTP Server v3.06.36 service. An authenticated path traversal vulnerability in '/' allows remote users to bypass the intended restrictions of SecurityManager and display any file if they have the appropriate permissions outside the document root configured on the server.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
CVE-2025-41368 is a high-severity authenticated path traversal vulnerability in Small HTTP Server v3.06.36 that allows authorized users to bypass SecurityManager restrictions and access files outside the configured document root. With a CVSS score of 8.1 and no available patch, this poses significant risk to organizations using this server for sensitive file hosting. The vulnerability requires authentication but enables complete file system disclosure to authenticated attackers.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: Apr 25, 2026 22:37
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
This vulnerability primarily impacts Saudi government agencies, financial institutions, and critical infrastructure operators using Small HTTP Server for internal file distribution or legacy system integration. High-risk sectors include: SAMA-regulated banking institutions (file servers for regulatory documents), NCA government entities (internal document management), healthcare providers (patient records systems), and energy sector operators (ARAMCO and subsidiaries using legacy HTTP servers). The authenticated nature reduces immediate risk but poses severe insider threat and compromised account scenarios. Organizations in the Kingdom using this server for sensitive document hosting face potential unauthorized disclosure of classified government documents, financial records, and critical infrastructure data.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Banking and Financial Services (SAMA-regulated institutions)
Government and Public Administration (NCA entities)
Healthcare and Medical Services
Energy and Utilities (ARAMCO, subsidiaries)
Telecommunications (STC, Mobily, Zain)
Critical Infrastructure Operators
Defense and Security Agencies
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
7.8
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
1. Inventory all instances of Small HTTP Server v3.06.36 across your organization and document their purpose and hosted content sensitivity
2. Implement strict access controls limiting authentication to trusted users only; review and revoke unnecessary user accounts
3. Deploy network segmentation to restrict access to affected servers from untrusted networks
4. Enable comprehensive logging and monitoring of all file access attempts on affected servers
COMPENSATING CONTROLS (no patch available):
5. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block path traversal patterns (../, ..\, encoded variants) in HTTP requests
6. Configure SecurityManager with maximum restrictive permissions; disable directory listing
7. Use reverse proxy (nginx/Apache) in front of Small HTTP Server to enforce strict path validation and block traversal attempts
8. Implement file integrity monitoring (FIM) on sensitive files to detect unauthorized access
9. Restrict file system permissions at OS level to prevent access to sensitive directories
10. Consider migrating to actively maintained HTTP server alternatives (Apache, nginx, IIS)
DETECTION RULES:
- Monitor for HTTP requests containing: %2e%2e, %252e, ../, ..\ patterns in URI
- Alert on authentication followed by file access outside configured document root
- Track failed SecurityManager validation events in application logs
- Monitor for unusual file access patterns from authenticated sessions
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. قم بحصر جميع نسخ خادم HTTP الصغير v3.06.36 في مؤسستك وتوثيق غرضها وحساسية المحتوى المستضاف
2. تطبيق ضوابط وصول صارمة تقصر المصادقة على المستخدمين الموثوقين فقط؛ مراجعة وإلغاء حسابات المستخدمين غير الضرورية
3. نشر تقسيم الشبكة لتقييد الوصول إلى الخوادم المتأثرة من الشبكات غير الموثوقة
4. تفعيل السجلات الشاملة ومراقبة جميع محاولات الوصول إلى الملفات على الخوادم المتأثرة
الضوابط البديلة (لا يوجد تصحيح متاح):
5. تطبيق قواعد جدار حماية تطبيقات الويب (WAF) للكشف عن أنماط اجتياز المسار وحجبها (../, ..\, المتغيرات المشفرة)
6. تكوين مدير الأمان بأقصى أذونات مقيدة؛ تعطيل قائمة الدليل
7. استخدام وكيل عكسي (nginx/Apache) أمام خادم HTTP الصغير لفرض التحقق الصارم من المسار وحجب محاولات الاجتياز
8. تطبيق مراقبة سلامة الملفات (FIM) على الملفات الحساسة للكشف عن الوصول غير المصرح به
9. تقييد أذونات نظام الملفات على مستوى نظام التشغيل لمنع الوصول إلى الدلائل الحساسة
10. النظر في الترحيل إلى بدائل خادم HTTP التي يتم صيانتها بنشاط (Apache, nginx, IIS)
قواعد الكشف:
- مراقبة طلبات HTTP التي تحتوي على: %2e%2e, %252e, ../, ..\ في URI
- تنبيه عند المصادقة متبوعة بالوصول إلى الملفات خارج جذر المستند المكون
- تتبع أحداث فشل التحقق من مدير الأمان في سجلات التطبيق
- مراقبة أنماط الوصول إلى الملفات غير العادية من جلسات المصادقة
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
A.5.1.1 - Information Security Policies (access control policies)
A.6.1.1 - Internal Organization (segregation of duties)
A.8.1.1 - Asset Management (inventory and protection)
A.9.1.1 - Access Control (user access management)
A.12.4.1 - Logging (event logging and monitoring)
🔵 SAMA CSF
ID.AM-2: Software Inventory (identify all HTTP server instances)
PR.AC-1: Access Control Policy (enforce least privilege)
PR.PT-1: Security Architecture (network segmentation)
DE.CM-1: Detection and Analysis (monitor for path traversal)
RS.MI-2: Incident Response (contain unauthorized access)
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
A.5.1.1 - Policies for information security
A.6.1.2 - Information security roles and responsibilities
A.8.1.1 - Inventory of assets
A.9.1.1 - Access control policy
A.9.2.1 - User registration and de-registration
A.9.4.3 - Password management
A.12.4.1 - Event logging
A.12.4.3 - Protection of log information
🟣 PCI DSS v4.0.1
Requirement 1.1 - Firewall configuration standards
Requirement 2.1 - Default security parameters
Requirement 6.2 - Security patches and updates
Requirement 7.1 - Limit access to system components
Requirement 10.1 - Implement audit trails
📦 Affected Products / CPE 1 entries
smallsrv:small_http_server