CVE-2007-6547 in RunCMS
Summary
by MITRE
RunCMS before 1.6.1 does not require entry of the old password during a password change, which allows context-dependent attackers to change passwords upon obtaining temporary access to a session.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/13/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-6547 affects RunCMS versions prior to 1.6.1 and represents a significant authentication flaw that undermines the security of user account management. This issue stems from the application's failure to implement proper password verification mechanisms during the password change process, creating a critical weakness in the authentication framework.
The technical flaw manifests as a missing requirement for the old password verification step during password modification operations. When users attempt to change their passwords, the system should mandate the entry of the current password before accepting a new one. However, RunCMS versions before 1.6.1 bypass this essential security check, allowing unauthorized individuals to modify account credentials without proper authentication. This design oversight creates a scenario where attackers with temporary access to a user session can exploit this weakness to change passwords and gain persistent access to accounts.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability significantly increases the attack surface and potential impact of credential compromise. The context-dependent nature of this flaw means that attackers need only obtain temporary session access to exploit the vulnerability, making it particularly dangerous in environments where session hijacking or other temporary access methods are possible. The vulnerability directly violates security best practices and represents a clear failure in implementing proper access controls and authentication verification processes.
The implications of this vulnerability extend beyond simple password changes, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity of user authentication mechanisms. This weakness can be categorized under CWE-308, which deals with the use of a broken or weak cryptographically secure pseudo-random number generator, though the specific flaw relates more closely to improper authentication mechanisms and credential management. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers legitimate credentials, and T1531 which covers Account Access Removal, as it enables unauthorized access to user accounts through compromised session tokens.
The security impact of this vulnerability is substantial, as it enables attackers to maintain persistent access to compromised accounts without requiring additional authentication factors or knowledge of current passwords. This makes it particularly dangerous in scenarios where attackers can obtain session cookies, temporary access tokens, or other forms of temporary authentication credentials. The lack of old password verification creates an authentication bypass opportunity that can be exploited through various attack vectors including session hijacking, cross-site scripting attacks, or other methods that provide temporary access to user sessions.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper authentication controls and ensuring that all password change operations require verification of the current password. Organizations should immediately upgrade to RunCMS version 1.6.1 or later, which addresses this specific weakness. Additionally, administrators should implement comprehensive monitoring of password change activities and establish proper session management practices to minimize the window of opportunity for attackers. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and authentication flow control in web applications, emphasizing the need for robust security testing and code review processes to identify similar issues in other components of the application stack.