CVE-2007-5062 in Flip
Summary
by MITRE
account.php in Adam Scheinberg Flip 3.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to create administrative accounts via the un parameter in a register action.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/07/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-5062 represents a critical security flaw in the Adam Scheinberg Flip 3.0 content management system that allows remote attackers to escalate privileges by creating administrative accounts. This issue stems from improper input validation and access control mechanisms within the account registration functionality, specifically in the account.php script. The vulnerability exists in versions 3.0 and earlier, indicating a long-standing security weakness that was not adequately addressed in the software's development lifecycle. The flaw is particularly dangerous because it enables attackers to bypass normal authentication procedures and gain unauthorized administrative access to the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the un parameter during the register action process. When a user attempts to register for an account, the system processes the un parameter without sufficient validation or authorization checks. This parameter likely represents the username field in the registration form, but due to inadequate sanitization and access control, attackers can manipulate this value to create administrative accounts. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic lack of proper privilege separation and input validation, allowing attackers to inject malicious parameters that bypass normal account creation restrictions. This weakness aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and CWE-264, which covers permissions, privileges, and access controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can gain full administrative control over the Flip 3.0 system, enabling them to modify content, delete data, create additional administrative users, and potentially access sensitive information stored within the platform. This privilege escalation capability transforms a simple account registration function into a weapon for complete system compromise. The remote nature of the attack means that no local system access is required, making the vulnerability particularly attractive to attackers. Organizations using affected versions of Flip 3.0 face significant risk of data breaches, content manipulation, and potential service disruption. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for attackers to establish persistent access through the creation of backdoor administrative accounts.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of the affected software to version 3.1 or later, where the security flaw has been addressed. Organizations should implement proper input validation and sanitization for all user-supplied parameters, particularly those that influence account creation and privilege assignment. The system should enforce strict access controls that prevent users from creating administrative accounts through the standard registration process. Network segmentation and monitoring should be implemented to detect anomalous registration activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their web applications to identify similar privilege escalation vulnerabilities. This vulnerability relates to ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and T1548 which covers abuse of privileges, highlighting the importance of proper access control mechanisms and account management practices. Regular security updates and vulnerability management processes should be implemented to prevent similar issues from arising in other software components.