CVE-2006-3764 in phpPolls
Summary
by MITRE
Till Gerken phpPolls 1.0.3 allows remote attackers to create a new poll via a direct request to phpPollAdmin.php3 with the poll_action parameter set to create.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/31/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-3764 represents a critical access control flaw in the phpPolls 1.0.3 web application developed by Till Gerken. This issue stems from insufficient authentication and authorization checks within the administrative interface, specifically affecting the phpPollAdmin.php3 script that handles poll management operations. The vulnerability exists because the application fails to verify whether incoming requests originate from authenticated administrators before executing sensitive administrative functions, creating a direct pathway for unauthenticated remote attackers to manipulate the application's core functionality.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a simple HTTP request manipulation technique where an attacker can directly call the phpPollAdmin.php3 endpoint with the poll_action parameter explicitly set to create. This parameter controls the administrative action to be performed within the script, and due to the lack of proper access validation, any remote user can trigger the creation of new polls without proper authorization. The flaw constitutes a classic case of insufficient privilege checking, which falls under the CWE-285 access control vulnerability category, specifically manifesting as an improper authorization issue where the system fails to verify that the requesting entity has the necessary permissions to perform administrative operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows remote attackers to gain unauthorized administrative control over the polling system, potentially leading to data manipulation, service disruption, and information disclosure. An attacker could flood the system with unwanted polls, manipulate existing poll data, or potentially use the created polls as a vector for further attacks. This vulnerability directly maps to the ATT&CK technique T1078 Valid Accounts, as it enables adversaries to perform administrative functions without proper authentication, and also relates to T1068 Local Privilege Escalation through the exploitation of administrative interfaces. The vulnerability essentially provides an attacker with the ability to perform actions that should only be available to authorized administrators, effectively compromising the integrity and availability of the polling system.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper authentication and authorization checks throughout the application's administrative interface. The phpPolls application must be updated to verify user credentials and administrative privileges before executing any administrative operations, including the creation of new polls. Organizations should ensure that all administrative endpoints require proper session validation and role-based access controls to prevent unauthorized access. Additionally, implementing input validation and parameter sanitization can help prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in other parts of the application. The most effective remediation involves upgrading to a patched version of phpPolls that properly implements access control measures, as well as conducting comprehensive security reviews of all administrative interfaces to identify and address similar authorization flaws.