CVE-2005-3435 in Newsworld
Summary
by MITRE
admin_news.php in Archilles Newsworld up to 1.3.0 allows attackers to bypass authentication by obtaining the password hash for another user, for example through another Newsworld vulnerability, and specifying the hash in the pwd argument.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/12/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-3435 affects Archilles Newsworld version 1.3.0 and earlier, specifically targeting the admin_news.php component. This authentication bypass flaw represents a critical security weakness that allows malicious actors to gain unauthorized administrative access to the system. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of password validation mechanisms within the administrative interface, creating a pathway for attackers to leverage existing password hash information to impersonate legitimate users. The flaw operates under the principle of credential reuse, where an attacker who has already obtained a password hash through alternative means can directly utilize this hash within the pwd argument to bypass normal authentication procedures.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability manifests as a failure in input validation and authentication processing within the administrative news management component. The system accepts the password hash directly as a parameter without proper verification or re-hashing mechanisms, effectively treating the hash as a valid authentication token. This design flaw falls under the category of weak authentication mechanisms and improper credential handling, aligning with CWE-287 which addresses authentication bypass vulnerabilities. The vulnerability demonstrates a clear lack of proper session management and authentication state validation, allowing attackers to circumvent the intended security controls that should validate user credentials through proper authentication protocols rather than accepting pre-computed hash values.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables attackers to gain full administrative privileges within the Newsworld system. Once authenticated, malicious actors can manipulate news content, modify system configurations, access sensitive user data, and potentially use the compromised administrative account as a foothold for further attacks within the network. This authentication bypass creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited by attackers who have already gained access to the system through other vulnerabilities, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple security weaknesses may exist. The vulnerability significantly undermines the system's security posture by allowing attackers to escalate privileges without needing to discover or exploit additional authentication bypass mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper authentication validation procedures and eliminating the direct acceptance of password hashes as valid authentication tokens. System administrators should immediately upgrade to patched versions of Archilles Newsworld that address this specific authentication bypass flaw. The implementation of proper input validation and credential verification mechanisms is essential, ensuring that password hashes are properly processed through cryptographic functions rather than accepted directly as authentication credentials. Additionally, organizations should implement robust session management controls, enforce proper access controls, and establish monitoring mechanisms to detect unauthorized administrative access attempts. This vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and proper authentication design principles, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1078 which addresses valid accounts and credential access. The remediation approach should include comprehensive security testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in other system components and ensure that authentication mechanisms properly validate credentials through established cryptographic processes rather than accepting pre-computed hash values as legitimate authentication tokens.