CVE-2008-1172 in TorrentTrader
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in account-inbox.php in TorrentTrader Classic 1.08 allow remote attackers to perform certain actions as other users, as demonstrated by sending messages.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/19/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-1172 represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw discovered in the account-inbox.php component of TorrentTrader Classic version 1.08. This type of vulnerability falls under the broader category of web application security weaknesses that enable attackers to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users. The specific implementation of this CSRF vulnerability allows remote attackers to manipulate the messaging functionality of the application, potentially enabling them to send messages as other users without their knowledge or consent.
The technical nature of this flaw stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF mechanisms within the account-inbox.php script. When users interact with the messaging system, the application fails to validate that requests originate from legitimate sources within the same session. This omission creates an exploitable condition where an attacker can craft malicious web pages or links that, when visited by an authenticated user, automatically submit requests to the vulnerable application. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the session management layer, where user authentication is already established, making it easier for attackers to leverage existing privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple message sending capabilities. An attacker could potentially exploit this flaw to perform a wide range of actions within the messaging system, including deleting messages, modifying user preferences, or even creating new accounts if the application lacks proper authorization checks. The implications are significant for user privacy and data integrity, as unauthorized parties could access or manipulate personal communications without detection. This vulnerability essentially undermines the trust model of the application by allowing attackers to impersonate legitimate users within the system.
Security professionals should recognize this issue as a classic example of CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities in web applications. The flaw aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.002, which covers credential access through phishing attacks that leverage CSRF vulnerabilities to manipulate user sessions. The vulnerability demonstrates how insufficient input validation and lack of proper session management can create persistent security weaknesses that remain exploitable for extended periods. Organizations should implement comprehensive CSRF protection measures including unique tokens for each session, proper referer header validation, and implementing the SameSite cookie attributes to prevent unauthorized cross-site requests from being automatically submitted.
The remediation approach for this vulnerability involves implementing robust anti-CSRF mechanisms that validate the authenticity of requests originating from legitimate users. This includes generating unique, unpredictable tokens for each user session and requiring these tokens to be present in all state-changing requests. Additionally, implementing proper request origin validation through referer headers and implementing the SameSite cookie attributes can provide additional layers of protection. Regular security audits and code reviews should focus on identifying similar patterns in other application components to prevent similar vulnerabilities from existing in the system. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring systems that can detect and block suspicious cross-site request patterns. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of maintaining proper session management practices and ensuring that all user interactions with sensitive application functions are properly authenticated and authorized.