CVE-2006-0691 in Time Tracking Software
Summary
by MITRE
edituser.php in TTS Time Tracking Software 3.0 does not verify that the name and password are correct, which allows remote attackers to overwrite arbitrary data belonging to any account.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/01/2017
The CVE-2006-0691 vulnerability resides within the TTS Time Tracking Software version 3.0, specifically in the edituser.php component that handles user account modifications. This flaw represents a critical authorization bypass vulnerability that fundamentally undermines the software's security model. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and authentication checks within the user management interface, creating a pathway for unauthorized individuals to manipulate account data without proper credentials. The software fails to implement proper session validation or user permission verification when processing requests to modify user information, allowing any remote attacker to submit malicious requests that can overwrite data belonging to arbitrary user accounts. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and demonstrates a severe failure in access control mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the edituser.php script which lacks proper authentication verification before executing data modification operations. Attackers can craft malicious requests that target specific user account identifiers and overwrite their associated data fields including usernames, passwords, and potentially other account attributes. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires no prior authentication to exploit, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged remotely without any initial access credentials. This weakness enables attackers to perform account takeover operations, data corruption, and unauthorized modifications to user profiles across the entire system. The flaw essentially eliminates the distinction between legitimate and unauthorized user interactions with the account management functionality.
The operational impact of CVE-2006-0691 extends beyond simple data modification, creating potential for broader system compromise and data integrity violations. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability can systematically overwrite user accounts, potentially disrupting time tracking operations, gaining unauthorized access to sensitive project data, and undermining the trustworthiness of the entire time tracking system. The vulnerability also poses significant risks to user privacy and organizational security protocols, as it allows attackers to modify account credentials and potentially escalate privileges within the system. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where time tracking systems often contain sensitive project data, billing information, and employee activity records that are critical to business operations. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can target systems from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access or network proximity.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper authentication checks and input validation mechanisms within the edituser.php component. Organizations should immediately patch the software to the latest available version that addresses this authorization bypass flaw. The implementation of proper session management, including secure token validation and user permission verification, should be enforced before any account modification operations are permitted. Additionally, input sanitization and parameter validation should be strengthened to prevent malicious data injection attacks. Security professionals should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of the vulnerable application to untrusted networks. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and privilege escalation. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar authorization bypass vulnerabilities in other system components, ensuring comprehensive protection against unauthorized access and data manipulation threats.