CVE-2005-0318 in WebAdmin
Summary
by MITRE
useredit_account.wdm in alt-n webadmin 3.0.4 does not properly validate account edits by the logged in user which allows remote authenticated users to edit other users account information via a modified user parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/19/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0318 resides within the alt-n webadmin 3.0.4 software, specifically in the useredit_account.wdm component. This flaw represents a critical authorization bypass issue that undermines the fundamental security controls designed to protect user account integrity. The vulnerability manifests when authenticated users attempt to modify account information through the web administration interface, where the system fails to properly validate whether the requesting user has appropriate permissions to modify the target account. This weakness directly violates the principle of least privilege and creates a pathway for privilege escalation through unauthorized account manipulation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and access control mechanisms within the webadmin application's account editing functionality. When a user submits a modified account parameter through the useredit_account.wdm module, the system does not perform proper authorization checks to verify that the authenticated user possesses the necessary privileges to modify the specified account. This validation failure allows an attacker to manipulate the user parameter to target accounts belonging to other users, effectively enabling cross-user account modification without proper authentication. The flaw operates at the application logic level, where the authorization flow is bypassed through simple parameter manipulation, making it particularly dangerous as it requires minimal technical expertise to exploit.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple account modification, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity of the user management system. An authenticated attacker can leverage this weakness to access sensitive user information, modify account permissions, change passwords, or potentially escalate privileges within the system. This vulnerability creates a persistent security risk that can be exploited repeatedly, as long as the attacker maintains valid authentication credentials. The implications are particularly severe in environments where administrative privileges are shared or where users have elevated access levels, as the attacker could potentially compromise multiple user accounts and gain deeper system access. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization in software applications, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1531 for account access removal.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust input validation and access control measures throughout the webadmin application. The primary remediation involves strengthening the authorization checks within the useredit_account.wdm component to ensure that all account modification requests are properly validated against the authenticated user's privileges and the target account's ownership. Organizations should implement proper access control lists that enforce strict ownership verification before allowing any account modifications, ensuring that users can only modify accounts they own or have explicit authorization to manage. Additionally, the system should incorporate comprehensive logging mechanisms to detect unauthorized account access attempts, which would provide valuable forensic data and help identify potential exploitation attempts. The implementation of proper session management and input sanitization techniques would further reduce the attack surface and prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components of the webadmin system. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify and address similar authorization bypass vulnerabilities in the application's architecture.