CVE-2004-0522 in Gallery
Summary
by MITRE
gallery 1.4.3 and earlier allows remote attackers to bypass authentication and obtain gallery administrator privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2004-0522 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw affecting gallery versions 1.4.3 and earlier. This issue resides within the web-based gallery application's privilege management system, where improper validation mechanisms allow malicious actors to escalate their access rights without proper credentials. The vulnerability specifically targets the administrator authentication process, enabling unauthorized users to gain full administrative control over the gallery system. Such a flaw fundamentally undermines the security model of the application by permitting unauthorized privilege escalation through remote access vectors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and session management within the gallery application's authentication framework. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specific requests that manipulate the authentication flow, effectively bypassing the standard login procedures required for administrator access. The flaw likely exists in how the application processes user permissions or validates session tokens, allowing arbitrary privilege elevation without proper credential verification. This type of vulnerability typically manifests when the application fails to properly enforce access controls or when it relies on client-side validation that can be easily circumvented. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues, and specifically relates to CWE-305, concerning authentication bypass through multiple attempts or weak authentication mechanisms.
The operational impact of CVE-2004-0522 is severe and far-reaching for affected organizations. Successful exploitation grants attackers full administrative privileges, providing complete control over the gallery system including the ability to modify content, manage users, access sensitive data, and potentially compromise the underlying infrastructure. This vulnerability enables unauthorized users to perform actions such as deleting or modifying gallery images, adding malicious content, altering user permissions, and accessing confidential information stored within the gallery. The remote nature of the exploit means that attackers can leverage this vulnerability from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access to the system or local network presence. Organizations using vulnerable gallery versions face significant risks including data breaches, content tampering, and potential use as a foothold for further attacks within their network infrastructure. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond immediate data compromise to include potential regulatory violations and reputational damage.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2004-0522 must prioritize immediate remediation through software updates and patches provided by the gallery developers. Organizations should implement the latest stable version of the gallery application that addresses this authentication bypass vulnerability. Network-level protections including firewalls and intrusion detection systems can help monitor for suspicious authentication attempts and malformed requests targeting this specific vulnerability. Access control measures should be strengthened by implementing multi-factor authentication, limiting administrative access to trusted IP ranges, and enforcing strict session management policies. Security monitoring should include regular audit of administrator login activities and implementation of automated tools to detect anomalous behavior patterns. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their gallery installations and implement proper network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing robust authentication mechanisms, aligning with security best practices outlined in frameworks such as the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and MITRE ATT&CK matrix category T1078 for valid accounts and privilege escalation techniques.