CVE-2004-1463 in MoinMoin
Summary
by MITRE
Unknown vulnerability in the PageEditor in MoinMoin 1.2.2 and earlier, related to Access Control Lists (ACL), has unknown impact.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/30/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-1463 affects the PageEditor component within MoinMoin versions 1.2.2 and earlier, specifically concerning Access Control List implementations. This represents a critical security flaw that could potentially allow unauthorized users to bypass access restrictions and gain elevated privileges within the wiki system. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of access control mechanisms during page editing operations, creating potential pathways for privilege escalation and unauthorized content modification.
This flaw manifests in the way MoinMoin processes Access Control Lists when users attempt to edit pages through the PageEditor interface. The system fails to properly validate user permissions during the editing process, allowing malicious actors to exploit this weakness to modify content they should not have access to. The vulnerability operates at the application level and specifically impacts the authentication and authorization controls that govern user access to wiki resources. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which addresses improper access control, and potentially CWE-79 which covers cross-site scripting vulnerabilities that could be leveraged through the ACL bypass.
The operational impact of CVE-2004-1463 extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential data integrity compromise and information disclosure. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to inject malicious content, modify existing pages, or even create new pages with elevated permissions. The attack vector typically involves an authenticated user with limited privileges who attempts to edit pages through the PageEditor, where the system's ACL validation fails. This vulnerability directly conflicts with the principle of least privilege and could enable attackers to escalate their privileges within the wiki environment.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1078 for valid accounts and T1548 for privilege escalation. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that could be exploited by both internal and external attackers who have gained initial access to the system. The impact assessment reveals that organizations using affected MoinMoin versions face significant risk of unauthorized content manipulation, potential data breaches, and compromised system integrity. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical expertise, making it particularly dangerous as it could be leveraged by attackers with limited advanced skills.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including upgrading to patched versions of MoinMoin, implementing additional monitoring of editing activities, and reviewing existing ACL configurations. The recommended remediation approach involves applying the official security patches released by the MoinMoin development team, which address the core access control validation issues. Additionally, administrators should conduct comprehensive audits of existing access controls, implement multi-factor authentication where possible, and establish regular security assessments of wiki systems. Network segmentation and logging mechanisms should be enhanced to detect anomalous editing behaviors that could indicate exploitation attempts.
The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of proper access control implementation in web applications and demonstrates how seemingly minor flaws in authentication systems can create significant security risks. Organizations should consider implementing defense-in-depth strategies including web application firewalls, regular security code reviews, and comprehensive security training for administrators. The incident underscores the necessity of maintaining current software versions and following security best practices for collaborative platforms. This vulnerability serves as a reminder that access control mechanisms must be rigorously tested and validated to prevent exploitation through seemingly innocuous user interface components.