CVE-2005-2464 in PCXP TOPPE CMS
Summary
by MITRE
login.php in PCXP/TOPPE CMS allows remote attackers to bypass authentication and gain privileges by modifying the cookie to match the target userid.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/02/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-2464 resides within the login.php component of PCXP/TOPPE CMS, representing a critical authentication bypass flaw that fundamentally compromises the security posture of affected systems. This vulnerability stems from inadequate session management and insufficient input validation mechanisms within the authentication process, creating a pathway for remote attackers to manipulate session identifiers and assume arbitrary user identities. The flaw specifically targets the cookie-based authentication system where the application fails to properly validate the integrity of session cookies against legitimate user credentials, allowing malicious actors to craft malicious cookies that match target user IDs and gain unauthorized access to administrative or user accounts.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication mechanisms, and demonstrates a classic case of weak session management that violates fundamental security principles. Attackers can exploit this weakness by analyzing the structure of legitimate session cookies and crafting modified versions that contain the target user ID, effectively bypassing the normal authentication flow. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires no special privileges or complex exploitation techniques, making it particularly dangerous as it can be readily exploited by even moderately skilled attackers. The flaw essentially allows for privilege escalation through session hijacking, where the attacker's cookie modifications directly translate into unauthorized system access without requiring knowledge of valid passwords or credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables comprehensive system compromise and data exfiltration capabilities. Once authenticated, attackers can manipulate user accounts, access sensitive information, modify system configurations, and potentially escalate privileges to administrative levels. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and undermines the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected CMS systems. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it operates entirely through network-based cookie manipulation, requiring no local system access or complex attack chains, and can be executed remotely from any location with network connectivity to the vulnerable system.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-2464 should focus on implementing robust session management practices and strengthening authentication mechanisms within the CMS. Organizations must ensure that session cookies contain sufficient entropy and include cryptographic integrity checks to prevent manipulation. The implementation of proper session validation mechanisms, including server-side session state management and regular session regeneration, significantly reduces the attack surface. Security controls should also include monitoring for unusual authentication patterns and implementing rate limiting to prevent automated cookie manipulation attempts. Additionally, the vulnerability demonstrates the importance of adhering to security frameworks such as the OWASP Top Ten and implementing proper input validation and output encoding to prevent session-related attacks. Organizations should consider implementing multi-factor authentication and session timeout mechanisms as additional protective layers against similar vulnerabilities that may exist in legacy CMS implementations.