CVE-2002-1884 in Py-Membres
Summary
by MITRE
index.php in Py-Membres 3.1 allows remote attackers to log in as an administrator by setting the pymembs parameter to "admin".
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/27/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1884 resides within the Py-Membres 3.1 web application, specifically in the index.php file where improper input validation and authentication bypass mechanisms exist. This flaw represents a classic case of insecure authentication handling that allows unauthorized users to escalate their privileges and gain administrative access to the system. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly validate user input parameters, particularly the pymembs parameter which is used to determine user roles and access levels.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a simple parameter manipulation attack where remote attackers can directly set the pymembs parameter value to "admin" in the request. This parameter injection technique effectively bypasses the normal authentication process by directly manipulating the application's internal logic to assume administrative privileges. The flaw demonstrates poor input sanitization and inadequate access control mechanisms, as the application does not validate whether the requesting user has legitimate authorization to assume the admin role. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-285 category of Improper Authorization, specifically addressing insufficient access control validation during authentication processes.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides complete administrative control over the Py-Membres 3.1 application without requiring legitimate credentials or authorization. An attacker who discovers this vulnerability can gain full access to sensitive data, modify user accounts, alter application configuration, and potentially use the compromised system as a foothold for further attacks within the network. The remote nature of the exploit means that attackers do not need physical access to the system or knowledge of valid user credentials, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in publicly accessible environments. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 which covers Valid Accounts: Default Accounts, as it allows unauthorized access through manipulation of authentication parameters rather than through legitimate credential compromise.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and authentication controls. The application should validate all user inputs and reject any parameter values that attempt to manipulate authentication states. Implementing proper access control mechanisms that enforce role-based permissions and ensuring that authentication parameters cannot be directly manipulated by end users are essential. Additionally, the application should implement proper session management and authentication logging to detect unauthorized access attempts. The fix should involve modifying the index.php file to properly validate the pymembs parameter and ensure that only legitimate administrators can assume administrative roles through proper authentication processes rather than parameter manipulation. Security monitoring should be implemented to detect suspicious parameter values and unauthorized access attempts.