CVE-2007-6642 in Joomla
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in Joomla! before 1.5 RC4 allow remote attackers to (1) add a Super Admin, (2) upload an extension containing arbitrary PHP code, and (3) modify the configuration as administrators via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/30/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-6642 represents a critical cross-site request forgery issue affecting Joomla! versions prior to 1.5 Release Candidate 4. This flaw resides within the web application's authentication and authorization mechanisms, specifically targeting the administrator interface where privileged operations are executed. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of request origins and lack of proper anti-CSRF token implementation in critical administrative functions, making it particularly dangerous for content management systems where administrative access can result in complete system compromise.
The technical exploitation of this CSRF vulnerability enables attackers to perform three distinct but highly damaging operations within the Joomla! administration context. The first vector allows adversaries to add new Super Admin accounts, effectively granting them complete control over the entire system without requiring legitimate credentials. The second vulnerability permits the upload of malicious extensions containing arbitrary PHP code, creating a persistent backdoor or enabling further exploitation through code execution capabilities. The third vector enables configuration modifications that can alter system behavior, potentially leading to service disruption, data exfiltration, or complete system takeover. These operations demonstrate a sophisticated attack surface where a single vulnerability can escalate privileges and establish persistent access.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for Joomla! installations as it allows remote attackers to compromise systems without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website or clicking on a crafted link. The impact extends beyond simple data theft to include complete system takeover, which aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for social engineering. The vulnerability's exploitation does not require authentication, making it particularly dangerous for systems where administrators might be logged in or where the application does not properly validate request sources. Organizations using affected versions face potential data breaches, system compromise, and unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions that could result in complete infrastructure takeover.
The underlying technical flaw corresponds to CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities in web applications. This weakness occurs when applications fail to validate that requests originate from legitimate sources, allowing attackers to forge requests that appear to come from authenticated users. The absence of proper CSRF protection tokens in the administrative interface functions creates a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate the application state. Security controls should implement unique, unpredictable tokens for each user session that are validated on every state-changing request, which was missing in the affected Joomla 1.5 RC4 or later, which includes proper CSRF token implementation and validation mechanisms. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls, monitoring for suspicious administrative activities, and conducting regular security assessments can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper input validation and authentication mechanisms in web applications, particularly those handling privileged operations, as outlined in OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks.