CVE-2002-1867 in Imagefolio
Summary
by MITRE
The default configuration of BizDesign ImageFolio 2.23 through 2.26 does not control access to (1) admin/setup.cgi, which allows remote attackers to create an administrative account, or (2) admin/nph-build.cgi, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/28/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1867 affects BizDesign ImageFolio versions 2.23 through 2.26, representing a critical access control flaw that compromises the security posture of web applications. This vulnerability stems from the default configuration of the software, which fails to implement proper authentication mechanisms for critical administrative functions. The flaw manifests in two distinct attack vectors that together create a significant threat surface for malicious actors seeking to compromise systems running this vulnerable software. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control issues in software applications, and represents a classic example of insecure default configurations that can be exploited by attackers with minimal technical expertise. The attack vectors target administrative interfaces that should be protected from unauthorized access, demonstrating a fundamental failure in the software's security design principles.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows attackers to exploit two separate but related weaknesses in the application's access control mechanisms. The first vector targets the admin/setup.cgi endpoint, where the absence of proper authentication checks enables remote attackers to create administrative accounts without authorization. This represents a privilege escalation vulnerability that fundamentally undermines the application's security model, as it allows attackers to gain persistent administrative access to the system. The second vector exploits admin/nph-build.cgi to execute a denial of service attack that consumes excessive CPU resources, effectively rendering the application unavailable to legitimate users. This dual nature of the vulnerability demonstrates how poor access control can simultaneously enable both unauthorized access and service disruption, creating a comprehensive attack surface that can be leveraged for multiple malicious objectives.
The operational impact of CVE-2002-1867 extends beyond simple exploitation to create long-term security implications for affected organizations. When attackers successfully create administrative accounts through the setup.cgi endpoint, they gain complete control over the application's configuration, user management, and potentially access to underlying system resources. This privilege escalation capability can lead to data breaches, system compromise, and further lateral movement within network environments. The denial of service component creates additional operational disruption by consuming system resources and potentially causing application unavailability, which can impact business operations and user productivity. The vulnerability's persistence in default configurations means that organizations may unknowingly run vulnerable systems for extended periods, as the issue requires explicit configuration changes to resolve. This scenario aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation, and T1499 which addresses network denial of service attacks.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations to address both attack vectors. The primary recommendation involves restricting access to administrative endpoints through proper authentication mechanisms, including implementing strong access controls for setup.cgi and nph-build.cgi scripts. Network-level protections such as firewall rules and web application firewalls can help limit access to these administrative interfaces from untrusted networks. Additionally, administrators should disable or remove unnecessary administrative scripts when they are not actively required for system operation. The vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security audits and configuration reviews, as default settings often provide insufficient protection against known attack patterns. Organizations should also consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized access attempts and abnormal resource consumption patterns that might indicate exploitation of these vulnerabilities. The remediation process should include updating to patched versions of the software where available, or implementing compensating controls that address the specific access control failures present in the affected versions. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of secure configuration management and the potential consequences of relying on insecure default settings in web applications.