CVE-2005-0677 in Zorum
Summary
by MITRE
index.php for Zorum 3.5 allows remote attackers to perform certain actions as other users by modifying the id parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/30/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-0677 represents a critical authorization bypass flaw within the Zorum 3.5 web application's index.php script. This issue stems from inadequate input validation and user session management mechanisms that fail to properly verify the authenticity of user identities when processing requests. The vulnerability specifically manifests when attackers manipulate the id parameter, allowing them to execute unauthorized actions on behalf of other users within the system. Such a flaw fundamentally undermines the application's access control mechanisms and can lead to severe consequences including data manipulation, unauthorized account access, and potential system compromise.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability falls under the category of improper authorization validation, which aligns with CWE-285, a weakness that occurs when a system fails to properly verify that an actor is authorized to perform a requested operation. The flaw exploits the lack of proper session validation and user identity verification within the application's core processing logic. When the id parameter is modified, the system does not adequately authenticate the requesting user against the target user account, enabling attackers to impersonate legitimate users and perform administrative or user-specific actions without proper credentials. This vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited through simple parameter manipulation techniques, making it particularly dangerous as it requires minimal technical expertise to exploit.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can facilitate a wide range of malicious activities including account takeover, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation within the Zorum 3.5 environment. Attackers can leverage this flaw to perform actions such as modifying user profiles, accessing confidential information, deleting content, or even gaining administrative privileges depending on the application's permission structure. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates silently without requiring authentication, allowing attackers to perform malicious activities while appearing to be legitimate users within the system. This characteristic makes detection and forensic analysis significantly more challenging, as audit logs will show the actions as being performed by legitimate users rather than unauthorized parties. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers legitimate credentials use and privilege escalation through unauthorized access to system resources.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust input validation and user authentication mechanisms throughout the application's codebase. The primary solution involves implementing proper session management and user identity verification before processing any requests that involve user-specific actions. This includes validating that the authenticated user has proper authorization to perform the requested operation on the specified user account. The system should enforce strict access controls and implement proper parameter sanitization to prevent unauthorized parameter manipulation. Additionally, developers should implement comprehensive logging and monitoring mechanisms to detect suspicious activities and parameter modifications. Security patches should be applied immediately to address the root cause of the vulnerability, and the application should be audited for similar authorization bypass issues in other components. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and input validation rules to prevent malicious parameter manipulation attempts at the network level. The remediation process should include thorough code review and security testing to ensure that similar vulnerabilities do not exist in other parts of the application's functionality, particularly in areas that handle user identification and authorization processes.