CVE-2006-2235 in Simple Poll
Summary
by MITRE
CodeMunkyX (aka free-php.net) Simple Poll 1.0, when authentication is not required for the admin directory, allows remote attackers to gain administrative privileges by appending /admin/ to the top-level URI of the application.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/05/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-2235 represents a critical access control flaw in the CodeMunkyX Simple Poll 1.0 web application. This issue stems from improper authentication mechanisms that fail to adequately verify user privileges before granting administrative access. The vulnerability specifically affects installations where the admin directory does not require authentication, creating an exploitable path for remote attackers to escalate their privileges within the application. The flaw demonstrates a fundamental weakness in the application's security architecture, where administrative functions remain accessible to unauthenticated users through predictable URI patterns.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits a common path traversal pattern that allows attackers to directly access administrative interfaces without proper authorization. By simply appending /admin/ to the application's top-level URI, remote attackers can bypass authentication mechanisms entirely and assume administrative roles within the system. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-285 category of Improper Authorization, specifically addressing situations where access control checks are missing or improperly implemented. The flaw represents a classic case of insecure direct object reference where the application fails to validate whether the requesting user has appropriate privileges to access administrative functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it provides attackers with complete administrative control over the Simple Poll application. Once exploited, attackers can modify poll configurations, delete existing polls, add malicious content, and potentially access sensitive data stored within the application. The remote nature of the attack means that no physical access or local network presence is required, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous for publicly accessible web applications. This type of privilege escalation attack aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for Valid Accounts and T1499.004 for Endpoint Denial of Service, as it enables unauthorized access to administrative functions that could be used to disrupt service or manipulate application data.
From a security perspective, this vulnerability highlights the importance of implementing proper access control mechanisms and avoiding predictable URI structures for administrative interfaces. Organizations should ensure that all administrative functions are protected by robust authentication and authorization checks, with no direct access paths available to unauthenticated users. The vulnerability also demonstrates the need for comprehensive security testing including penetration testing and code reviews to identify such access control flaws before they can be exploited in production environments. Mitigation strategies should include implementing mandatory authentication for all administrative interfaces, using non-predictable URI patterns, and regularly auditing access control mechanisms to ensure proper privilege enforcement. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing additional security controls such as rate limiting and logging of administrative access attempts to detect and respond to potential exploitation attempts.