CVE-2007-2912 in vBulletin
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Jelsoft vBulletin before 3.6.6, when unauthenticated User Infraction Permissions is disabled, allows remote attackers to see the infraction "red flag" for a deleted user.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/03/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-2912 represents a security flaw within the Jelsoft vBulletin forum software version 3.6.5 and earlier, specifically affecting the user infraction system when certain permission settings are configured. This issue arises from improper access control mechanisms that fail to adequately validate user authentication status when displaying infraction indicators. The vulnerability exists in the context of forums where the "unauthenticated User Infraction Permissions" feature is disabled, creating a scenario where unauthorized users can still access sensitive information about user infractions. This represents a classic case of insufficient authorization checks that violates fundamental security principles of access control.
The technical flaw manifests when the forum software fails to properly verify whether a user is authenticated before displaying infraction red flag indicators for deleted users. This occurs due to a lack of proper input validation and access control enforcement within the infraction display logic. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to bypass normal access restrictions and view infraction status information that should only be accessible to authenticated users with appropriate privileges. The underlying cause can be attributed to inadequate session management and permission validation routines that do not properly distinguish between authenticated and unauthenticated user contexts. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues in software systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with potentially sensitive information about forum user activities and disciplinary actions. The ability to view infraction flags for deleted users could reveal patterns of user behavior, forum moderation practices, and potentially expose information about user accounts that have been removed from the system. This information could be leveraged by malicious actors for social engineering attacks, targeted harassment, or to identify users who have been flagged for rule violations. The vulnerability particularly affects community forums where user privacy and moderation transparency are important considerations, creating potential risks for both individual users and forum administrators. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques described in the ATT&CK framework under the information gathering and reconnaissance phases.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper access control validation within the vBulletin software. Administrators should ensure that the "unauthenticated User Infraction Permissions" setting is properly configured to prevent unauthorized access to infraction information. The most effective remediation involves patching the software to version 3.6.6 or later, where this specific access control flaw has been addressed. Additionally, administrators should implement comprehensive audit logging to monitor access attempts to infraction systems and establish proper user authentication checks before displaying any infraction-related information. Regular security assessments of forum software configurations should be conducted to identify and remediate similar access control vulnerabilities. The fix should ensure that all infraction display mechanisms properly validate user authentication status and enforce appropriate authorization checks, preventing unauthorized access to sensitive user moderation information.