CVE-2008-2282 in Internet Photoshow
Summary
by MITRE
admin.php in Internet Photoshow and Internet Photoshow Special Edition (SE) allows remote attackers to bypass authentication by setting the login_admin cookie to true.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/22/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-2282 affects Internet Photoshow and its Special Edition variant, representing a critical authentication bypass flaw that undermines the security posture of web applications. This issue resides within the admin.php component of the software suite, which is designed to manage and display photo galleries on websites. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of authentication mechanisms, specifically through cookie manipulation that allows unauthorized users to gain administrative privileges without legitimate credentials. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-287 category of Improper Authentication, which is classified as a fundamental weakness in application security that enables attackers to assume identities and access restricted functionality.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of the login_admin cookie parameter, which is set to true by attackers to bypass the normal authentication process. When the application processes this cookie value, it fails to validate whether the user actually possesses legitimate administrative credentials, instead accepting the cookie value as sufficient authentication. This represents a classic case of insecure direct object reference or improper access control, where the application relies on client-side data to make critical security decisions. The flaw demonstrates poor security architecture where server-side validation is either absent or insufficient, allowing attackers to manipulate session state and assume administrative roles within the application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables remote attackers to completely compromise administrative access to the photo gallery management system. Once authenticated as administrators, attackers can perform any administrative function including uploading malicious files, modifying or deleting photo content, changing user accounts, altering system configurations, and potentially accessing sensitive data stored within the application. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited remotely without requiring any prior access to the system, making it an attractive target for automated attacks. The attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for Valid Accounts and T1566.001 for Phishing, as it allows attackers to assume administrative roles and expand their access within the compromised environment.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust server-side authentication controls that do not rely on client-side cookie manipulation. The primary fix involves validating user credentials through proper authentication mechanisms before granting administrative privileges, regardless of cookie values. Security measures should include input validation of cookie parameters, implementation of secure session management, and enforcement of proper access control checks. Organizations should also implement proper logging and monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts and cookie manipulation activities. Additionally, the application should employ anti-tampering mechanisms that prevent modification of authentication cookies and implement proper session invalidation when users log out or when sessions expire. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following security best practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST Cybersecurity Framework, particularly in areas related to authentication and session management.