CVE-2004-2453 in Tutti Nova
Summary
by MITRE
Unknown vulnerability in Tutti Nova 0.10 through 0.12 (Beta) and 0.9.4, when register_globals is enabled, has unknown impact and attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/19/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-2453 affects Tutti Nova versions 0.10 through 0.12 (Beta) and 0.9.4, representing a critical security flaw that emerges when the PHP configuration parameter register_globals is enabled. This vulnerability falls under the category of input validation and data handling issues that can lead to arbitrary code execution or data manipulation. The affected software operates in an environment where PHP's register_globals directive is set to on, which automatically registers request variables as global variables, creating dangerous conditions for input sanitization. This configuration essentially eliminates the need for explicit variable declaration and can lead to unexpected behavior when user-supplied data is processed without proper validation. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly sanitize or validate input parameters that are automatically registered as global variables, creating potential attack vectors that could be exploited by malicious actors. The unknown impact and attack vectors suggest that this vulnerability may have multiple exploitation pathways or that the full scope of potential damage was not fully understood at the time of reporting.
The technical flaw manifests when the application processes user input through the register_globals mechanism, which creates global variables from HTTP request data including GET, POST, and COOKIE parameters. When register_globals is enabled, any parameter passed through HTTP requests becomes automatically available as a global variable within the PHP script's scope, regardless of how it was originally intended to be used. This automatic registration bypasses normal variable scoping rules and can lead to variable overwriting scenarios where application variables are unintentionally replaced by user-provided values. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows attackers to manipulate application behavior by injecting malicious values into request parameters that are automatically converted into global variables. This creates opportunities for session hijacking, authentication bypass, and arbitrary code execution depending on how the application handles these automatically registered variables. The flaw is categorized as a variant of CWE-150 and CWE-152 within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, representing weaknesses in input validation and improper variable handling that can lead to code injection or privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data corruption or unauthorized access, as it can enable attackers to completely compromise the affected system. When register_globals is enabled, attackers can manipulate application logic by controlling the values of automatically registered variables, potentially bypassing authentication mechanisms or manipulating session data. The vulnerability allows for privilege escalation scenarios where unauthenticated users could gain administrative access to the application, or authenticated users could elevate their privileges within the system. Data integrity is severely compromised as attackers can manipulate application behavior through parameter injection, leading to potential data loss, modification, or unauthorized disclosure. The unknown attack vectors suggest that this vulnerability may have been exploitable through multiple methods including but not limited to session fixation, parameter tampering, or injection attacks that leverage the automatic variable registration feature. This vulnerability represents a fundamental flaw in the application's security architecture that undermines the integrity of the entire system when the dangerous PHP configuration is in use.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2004-2453 focus primarily on disabling the dangerous register_globals configuration in PHP, which is the most effective immediate solution. System administrators should ensure that register_globals is set to off in the php.ini configuration file, as this eliminates the automatic variable registration that enables the vulnerability. The application should also implement proper input validation and sanitization techniques to prevent malicious data from being processed even if the vulnerable configuration remains in place. Security patches and updates to Tutti Nova versions should be applied immediately to address the underlying code issues that contribute to this vulnerability. Organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify all applications running with register_globals enabled and remediate these configurations across their infrastructure. Additionally, implementing proper access controls, session management, and input filtering mechanisms can provide additional layers of defense against exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566 for credential access through session manipulation, highlighting the need for comprehensive security measures that address both configuration weaknesses and code-level vulnerabilities. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar issues in other applications that may be running with potentially dangerous PHP configurations.