CVE-2006-4546 in List Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Lyris ListManager 8.95 allows remote authenticated users, who have administrative privileges for at least one list on the server, to add new administrators to any list via a modified MEMBERS_.List_ parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/30/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-4546 represents a critical access control flaw within Lyris ListManager version 8.95 that enables authenticated attackers with administrative privileges to escalate their access rights across multiple lists within the system. This issue falls under the category of privilege escalation and unauthorized access, specifically targeting the administrative control mechanisms that govern list management. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and parameter manipulation capabilities within the system's membership administration interface, where the MEMBERS_.List_ parameter can be modified to target any list within the server's scope.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits a lack of proper authorization checks when processing administrative requests for list membership modifications. When an authenticated user with administrative privileges for at least one list attempts to add new administrators, the system fails to validate whether the target list belongs to the user's authorized scope. This oversight allows attackers to manipulate the MEMBERS_.List_ parameter to reference lists they do not have administrative rights over, effectively bypassing the intended access controls. The flaw is classified as a weakness in the authorization mechanism, specifically related to improper access control validation and parameter handling, which aligns with CWE-285 - Improper Authorization and CWE-20 - Improper Input Validation. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic case of insufficient privilege checking where the system trusts user-supplied parameters without adequate verification.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on Lyris ListManager for email list management and communication. An attacker who gains administrative access to a single list can potentially compromise the entire email list infrastructure by adding themselves as administrator to any other list within the system. This creates a chain reaction where a single compromised administrative account can lead to widespread unauthorized access and potential data breaches. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the email communication system, as attackers could potentially modify list memberships, send unauthorized messages, or gain access to sensitive information shared through these lists. The impact is particularly severe in enterprise environments where email lists often contain sensitive organizational data and communication channels.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including patching the system to the latest available version that addresses this access control flaw, implementing additional authorization checks at the application level, and conducting thorough security reviews of all administrative interfaces. The recommended approach involves validating all user inputs, particularly parameters related to list membership and administrative privileges, and ensuring that users can only perform administrative actions on lists within their authorized scope. Security teams should also consider implementing network-level controls to restrict access to administrative interfaces, monitoring for unusual administrative activities, and conducting regular privilege audits to identify any unauthorized access that may have occurred due to this vulnerability. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 - Valid Accounts and T1484 - Domain Policy Modification, as it leverages legitimate administrative accounts to gain unauthorized access to additional system resources while potentially modifying system policies through list management controls.