CVE-2002-2320 in MySimpleNews
Summary
by MITRE
MySimpleNews 1.0 allows remote attackers to delete arbitrary email messages via a direct request to vider.php3.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/12/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-2320 affects MySimpleNews version 1.0, a web-based news management system that appears to have been designed for basic content management and email notification functionality. This particular flaw represents a critical security weakness that allows remote attackers to execute unauthorized actions against the system's email handling capabilities. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and access control mechanisms within the application's architecture, specifically targeting the vider.php3 component which appears to manage email message operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a direct request mechanism that bypasses normal authentication and authorization procedures. When an attacker sends a crafted HTTP request directly to the vider.php3 endpoint, the application fails to verify whether the requester possesses legitimate privileges to perform message deletion operations. This represents a classic example of insecure direct object reference vulnerability, which is categorized under CWE-639 as "Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key." The flaw essentially allows any remote attacker to manipulate the application's email handling functions without proper authentication, creating a pathway for unauthorized message deletion across the system's email infrastructure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple message deletion, as it provides attackers with the ability to disrupt communication channels and potentially interfere with critical information flows that the news system may be managing. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to remove important notifications, delete user subscriptions, or even compromise the integrity of the email delivery system. The consequences could include service disruption, data loss, and potential information disclosure if the deleted messages contained sensitive content. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely on automated email notifications for news distribution or user engagement, as it could be exploited to silently remove important communications without detection.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1190 for Exploit Public-Facing Application and T1078 for Valid Accounts, as it exploits a weakness in the application's access control mechanisms to perform unauthorized operations. The attack vector is straightforward and requires minimal technical expertise, making it particularly dangerous for systems with weak network security controls. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including input validation for all parameters sent to the vider.php3 endpoint, implementation of proper authentication checks, and network segmentation to limit access to administrative components. Additionally, regular security assessments and application vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other components of the system. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of principle of least privilege implementation and proper access control mechanisms in web applications, particularly those handling user data and communication functions.