CVE-2007-3604 in vtiger
Summary
by MITRE
vtiger CRM before 5.0.3 allows remote authenticated users with access to the Analytics DashBoard menu to bypass data restrictions and read the pipeline of the entire organization, possibly involving modules/Potentials/Potentials.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-3604 affects vtiger CRM versions prior to 5.0.3 and represents a significant access control flaw that undermines the security model of the application. This issue specifically targets the Analytics DashBoard functionality, which is designed to provide users with data visualization capabilities but becomes a vector for privilege escalation when proper access controls are not enforced. The vulnerability allows authenticated users who possess access to the Analytics DashBoard menu to bypass intended data restrictions and gain visibility into the complete organizational sales pipeline. This represents a critical breakdown in the principle of least privilege and data isolation that should normally be maintained within enterprise CRM systems.
The technical flaw manifests in the insufficient validation of user permissions within the Analytics DashBoard component, particularly when processing requests related to the Potentials module. The vulnerability stems from improper access control checks that fail to verify whether the authenticated user has appropriate authorization levels to view data from other organizational units or modules. When users navigate to the Analytics DashBoard menu and attempt to access pipeline data, the application does not properly validate whether the requesting user should have access to the complete organization's data or if they are restricted to their own data sets. This flaw is classified as a privilege escalation vulnerability where legitimate authenticated users can escalate their access beyond their intended scope.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity of the CRM's data isolation mechanisms. Organizations using affected versions of vtiger CRM could experience unauthorized access to sensitive sales information, potentially exposing competitive intelligence, customer data, and business strategy details that should remain confidential to specific user groups or departments. The vulnerability specifically affects the Potentials.php module, which typically handles sales opportunities and pipeline tracking, making it particularly damaging for businesses relying on CRM for sales management. This issue could enable malicious actors with legitimate access credentials to gain comprehensive visibility into organizational sales activities, potentially leading to competitive disadvantages or data breaches.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses insufficient authorization checks, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a privilege escalation technique where an attacker leverages existing legitimate access to expand their capabilities within the system. Organizations should consider implementing additional monitoring and access control measures to detect unauthorized data access patterns, particularly around dashboard and analytics modules. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and access control enforcement in web applications, especially those handling sensitive business data. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching to version 5.0.3 or later, implementation of role-based access controls, and regular security assessments of dashboard and reporting functionalities to prevent similar access control bypass scenarios.
The broader implications of this vulnerability highlight the critical need for comprehensive security testing of business intelligence and analytics components within enterprise applications. Many organizations assume that dashboard and reporting features are inherently secure simply because they are part of the core application, but this vulnerability demonstrates that these components often require the same level of security scrutiny as core data access points. Security professionals should prioritize access control reviews for analytics modules and ensure that data visualization tools properly enforce the same security boundaries as traditional data access mechanisms. This vulnerability serves as a reminder that the security of enterprise applications must be considered holistically, with particular attention to features that aggregate or display data across multiple user groups or organizational units.