CVE-2004-0031 in PHPGEDVIEW
Summary
by MITRE
PHPGEDVIEW 2.61 allows remote attackers to reinstall the software and change the administrator password via a direct HTTP request to editconfig.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/29/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-0031 affects PHPGEDVIEW version 2.61, a web-based genealogy software application that enables users to manage and display family tree data through a web interface. This security flaw represents a critical authentication bypass and privilege escalation vulnerability that directly impacts the software's administrative security controls. The vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls and authentication checks within the application's configuration management interface, specifically the editconfig.php component that handles administrative configuration modifications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits a lack of proper authorization verification within the web application's request processing pipeline. Attackers can directly access the editconfig.php endpoint without requiring valid authentication credentials or administrative privileges, allowing them to execute the software reinstallation process and modify administrator passwords. This flaw operates at the application layer and demonstrates poor input validation and access control mechanisms that fail to properly authenticate users before granting administrative functions. The vulnerability specifically targets the application's configuration management system where sensitive administrative operations are exposed without adequate security checks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides attackers with complete administrative control over the affected PHPGEDVIEW installation. Once exploited, adversaries can reinstall the entire software package, potentially introducing malicious code or backdoors, while simultaneously changing or resetting administrator passwords to maintain persistent access. This compromise allows attackers to manipulate genealogical data, access user information, modify application settings, and potentially use the compromised system as a foothold for further attacks within the network environment. The vulnerability essentially eliminates the application's built-in administrative security controls, rendering the entire system vulnerable to unauthorized modifications and potential data breaches.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of access control restrictions and authentication enforcement mechanisms. Organizations should ensure that the editconfig.php endpoint is protected through proper authentication checks, requiring valid administrative credentials before allowing access to configuration modification functions. The recommended approach includes implementing role-based access controls, enforcing proper session management, and restricting direct access to administrative endpoints through web server configuration. Security measures should also include disabling unnecessary administrative functions, implementing proper input validation, and ensuring that administrative interfaces are not accessible from untrusted networks. According to CWE standards, this vulnerability maps to CWE-285 (Improper Authorization) and CWE-306 (Missing Authentication for Critical Function), while the ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a privilege escalation technique under T1068 (Local Privilege Escalation) and T1566 (Phishing for Information) when used in conjunction with social engineering approaches to gain initial access. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation, regular security audits, and application firewalls to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of proper authentication mechanisms in web applications and highlights the necessity of following secure coding practices to prevent unauthorized administrative access to critical system components.