CVE-2008-3318 in Weblog
Summary
by MITRE
admin/index.php in Maian Weblog 4.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to bypass authentication and gain administrative access by sending an arbitrary weblog_cookie cookie.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/01/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2008-3318 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw in Maian Weblog version 4.0 and earlier. This issue stems from improper validation of authentication tokens within the administrative interface, specifically in the admin/index.php file. The flaw allows remote attackers to gain full administrative privileges without proper credentials by simply manipulating the weblog_cookie cookie parameter. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of weak session management and improper authentication controls, which are commonly classified as CWE-287 - Improper Authentication.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the lack of proper cryptographic validation of the cookie value. When an attacker sends a crafted weblog_cookie value to the admin/index.php endpoint, the application fails to verify the authenticity or integrity of the cookie content. This weakness enables arbitrary users to assume administrative roles within the web application. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires no prior authentication credentials and can be exploited remotely, making it a significant threat to web application security.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability allows attackers to completely compromise the administrative functionality of the Maian Weblog system. Once authenticated as an administrator, attackers can modify or delete content, alter user permissions, access sensitive data, and potentially use the compromised system as a pivot point for further attacks within the network. The vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can lead to complete system compromise, making it a high-severity issue according to security frameworks such as the NIST Cybersecurity Framework.
The attack vector for this vulnerability is straightforward and can be executed through simple HTTP requests or automated tools. Attackers need only send a specially crafted cookie value to the vulnerable endpoint to gain administrative access. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by both skilled attackers and automated scanning tools. Mitigation strategies should include implementing proper session management with strong cryptographic tokens, enforcing proper authentication validation, and implementing rate limiting to prevent brute force attempts. Additionally, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 - Valid Accounts, as it allows attackers to use compromised administrative credentials to maintain persistent access to the system. Organizations should also implement proper input validation and output encoding to prevent similar issues in other components of their web applications.