CVE-2007-3600 in vtiger
Summary
by MITRE
WordPlugin in the wordintegration component in vtiger CRM before 5.0.3 allows remote authenticated users to bypass field level security permissions and merge arbitrary fields in an Email template, as demonstrated by the fields in the Contact module.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-3600 affects the wordintegration component in vtiger CRM versions prior to 5.0.3, specifically targeting the WordPlugin functionality that enables users to merge fields from database records into email templates. This security flaw represents a critical authorization bypass issue that undermines the fundamental security model of the application by allowing authenticated users to access data they should not be permitted to view or manipulate. The vulnerability specifically impacts the field level security permissions mechanism, which is designed to control access to specific data fields based on user roles and permissions within the CRM system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and access control checks within the WordPlugin component. When users attempt to create or modify email templates that merge data from contact records, the system fails to properly verify whether the authenticated user has appropriate permissions to access the specific fields being merged. This allows malicious authenticated users to construct template merges that include sensitive data fields from the Contact module, effectively bypassing the intended security boundaries. The flaw operates at the application logic level, where the permission checking mechanism is either absent or improperly implemented during the template merging process, creating a path for unauthorized data exposure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data disclosure, as it enables attackers to potentially access sensitive customer information, personal data, and business-critical records that should remain protected within the CRM environment. This authorization bypass can lead to significant data breaches and privacy violations, particularly in regulated industries where customer data protection is mandatory. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires only authenticated access to exploit, meaning that any user with valid credentials can potentially access restricted fields. This represents a serious violation of the principle of least privilege and can result in unauthorized data manipulation or exposure of confidential business information.
Organizations using affected versions of vtiger CRM should immediately implement the available patch or upgrade to version 5.0.3 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes to address this authorization bypass. Additionally, system administrators should review and audit existing user permissions to ensure that access controls are properly configured and that users only have access to data necessary for their roles. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual template creation or modification activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control, and could be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting, as it exploits authenticated user sessions to gain unauthorized access to protected data. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as database activity monitoring and template validation to prevent similar issues in other applications that handle field-level security and template merging functionality.