CVE-2001-0292 in PHP-Nuke
Summary
by MITRE
PHP-Nuke 4.4.1a allows remote attackers to modify a user s email address and obtain the password by guessing the user id (UID) and calling user.php with the saveuser operator.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/15/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2001-0292 represents a critical authentication and authorization flaw within PHP-Nuke 4.4.1a, a widely deployed content management system and web application framework. This issue stems from inadequate input validation and weak session management mechanisms that allow unauthenticated attackers to manipulate user account information through a predictable parameter manipulation technique. The vulnerability specifically targets the user management functionality of the application, exposing sensitive user data and potentially enabling privilege escalation attacks. The flaw exists in the user.php script which processes user account modifications without proper authentication checks or input sanitization, creating an avenue for malicious actors to exploit the system's trust model.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability relies on the predictable nature of user identifiers within the PHP-Nuke framework. Attackers can systematically guess or enumerate user ids through various means including direct parameter manipulation, pattern recognition, or brute force techniques. When the attacker calls the user.php script with the saveuser operator, the application processes the request without verifying the authenticity of the requesting user or checking if the attacker has proper authorization to modify the target account. This design flaw directly violates fundamental security principles of access control and authentication, allowing unauthorized modifications to user account details including email addresses and password information. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited remotely without requiring any prior access credentials, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that rely on user account management for security.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data modification, potentially enabling attackers to gain unauthorized access to user accounts, conduct account takeover operations, and compromise the overall security posture of the affected web application. Successful exploitation allows attackers to change email addresses to their own, potentially intercepting password reset emails or other security communications intended for legitimate users. This vulnerability also provides a pathway for attackers to obtain password information through the predictable UID guessing mechanism, which can then be used to gain full administrative access to the application or compromise other systems where users may have reused credentials. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the web application, as unauthorized modifications to user accounts can lead to data breaches, service disruption, and potential lateral movement within compromised networks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar issues. The primary solution involves implementing proper authentication checks and input validation within the user.php script to ensure that only authorized users can modify account information. This includes enforcing session validation, implementing rate limiting for UID guessing attempts, and adding cryptographic verification mechanisms for user account modifications. Organizations should also implement proper access control lists and role-based permissions to restrict account modification capabilities to appropriate user roles. From a defensive perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-285 (Improper Authorization) and CWE-311 (Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data) categories, and can be mapped to ATT&CK techniques including T1078 (Valid Accounts) and T1531 (Account Access Removal) for threat modeling purposes. Additionally, implementing proper logging and monitoring of account modification attempts can help detect and respond to exploitation attempts, while regular security assessments and code reviews can identify similar authorization flaws in other components of the web application ecosystem.