CVE-2006-6580 in ProNews
Summary
by MITRE
admin/change.php in ProNews 1.5 does not check whether a user is permitted to change news items, which allows remote attackers to add or delete information within an item, and possibly have other impacts. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained solely from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/10/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-6580 resides within the ProNews 1.5 content management system, specifically in the admin/change.php component. This flaw represents a critical access control vulnerability that undermines the fundamental security posture of the application. The issue stems from the absence of proper authentication and authorization checks within the administrative interface, creating a pathway for unauthorized actors to manipulate news content without proper credentials or permissions. The vulnerability manifests when users attempt to modify news items through the administrative change functionality, which should normally be restricted to authorized administrators only.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability constitutes a classic authorization bypass flaw that aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization in software systems. The absence of input validation and permission verification within the admin/change.php script allows remote attackers to exploit the lack of access controls and directly manipulate news items through the web interface. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it operates entirely over the network without requiring local system access or complex exploitation techniques. This type of vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation category, specifically targeting the credential access and defense evasion domains where attackers can gain unauthorized administrative capabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple content modification, as it provides attackers with the ability to add or delete information within news items, potentially leading to data integrity compromises and information disclosure. An attacker could insert malicious content, remove critical information, or alter existing news items to spread misinformation or disrupt the legitimate operation of the news system. The potential for additional impacts exists since the vulnerability description notes that "other impacts" may be possible, suggesting that the scope of exploitation could extend beyond the immediate administrative functions to encompass broader system compromise or data manipulation. This vulnerability directly affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability aspects of the information system, creating a triad of security concerns that could severely impact the organization's reputation and operational continuity.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2006-6580 should focus on implementing proper access controls and authentication mechanisms within the ProNews 1.5 application. The most effective immediate solution involves adding robust authorization checks to the admin/change.php script to verify user credentials and permissions before allowing any modifications to news items. This includes implementing session management controls, validating user roles, and ensuring that all administrative functions require proper authentication tokens or credentials. Organizations should also consider implementing input validation and output encoding to prevent potential secondary exploitation vectors. The remediation process should include code review to ensure that all administrative functions properly verify user permissions and that access controls are consistently enforced throughout the application. Additionally, network-level controls such as firewall rules and web application firewalls can provide additional layers of protection against unauthorized access attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be implemented to identify similar authorization bypass vulnerabilities within the system and ensure that proper access control mechanisms remain effective against evolving threat landscapes.