CVE-2007-0147 in Cuyahoga
Summary
by MITRE
Cuyahoga before 1.0.1 installs the FCKEditor component with an incorrect deny statement in a Web.config file, which allows remote attackers to upload files when these privileges were intended only for the Administrator and Editor roles.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/13/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-0147 affects the Cuyahoga content management system prior to version 1.0.1, specifically within its integration of the FCKEditor component. This issue represents a critical access control flaw that undermines the security model of the application. The problem manifests through improper configuration of the Web.config file, which governs the application's security policies and access permissions. When the FCKEditor component is installed, it inherits a misconfigured deny statement that fails to properly restrict file upload capabilities, creating an unauthorized access vector for remote attackers.
The technical flaw resides in the Web.config file's authorization rules where the deny statement is incorrectly configured to allow file uploads from unauthorized user roles. This misconfiguration violates fundamental security principles by permitting users outside the Administrator and Editor roles to execute file upload operations through the FCKEditor interface. The vulnerability stems from a failure to properly implement role-based access control mechanisms, where the system should have restricted upload privileges exclusively to authenticated administrators and editors. The incorrect deny statement effectively creates a backdoor that bypasses normal authentication and authorization checks.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables remote attackers to gain unauthorized file upload capabilities within the web application. Attackers can leverage this flaw to upload malicious files such as web shells, malicious scripts, or other harmful content that could compromise the entire server infrastructure. The impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as successful exploitation could lead to full system compromise, data exfiltration, and persistent access. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows attackers to upload files without proper authentication, potentially enabling them to establish persistent backdoors or execute arbitrary code on the target system.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization in software systems, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1059 for execution through uploaded malicious files. Organizations using affected versions of Cuyahoga should immediately implement the vendor-provided patch that corrects the Web.config file permissions. The recommended mitigation involves ensuring that the FCKEditor component's authorization rules properly restrict file upload operations to only Administrator and Editor roles. Additionally, implementing network-level restrictions, monitoring upload activities, and conducting regular security assessments can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper configuration management and the potential consequences of insecure default settings in web applications.