CVE-2008-3392 in Web Wiz Forum
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in Web Wiz Forum 9.5 allows remote attackers to log out a user via a link or IMG tag to log_off_user.asp.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/22/2017
The CVE-2008-3392 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw discovered in Web Wiz Forum version 9.5, a widely used web-based discussion forum software. This vulnerability resides in the authentication handling mechanism of the application, specifically within the log_off_user.asp component that manages user logout functionality. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute unauthorized actions against authenticated users without their knowledge or consent, exploiting the fundamental trust relationship between the web application and its users.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper validation mechanisms within the logout process. When a user accesses the log_off_user.asp page, the application fails to require any form of authentication token or session validation before processing the logout request. Attackers can construct malicious links or embed image tags that automatically trigger the logout functionality when viewed by an authenticated user. This occurs because the application processes the logout request based solely on the presence of the target URL, without verifying that the request originated from the legitimate user session or contained appropriate anti-CSRF tokens.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple user inconvenience, as it creates a potential attack vector for session hijacking and user manipulation. An attacker could craft a malicious webpage containing an embedded image tag pointing to the log_off_user.asp endpoint, or create a hidden link that automatically executes the logout command when a victim visits the page. This could be particularly damaging in environments where users frequently access forums from shared or public computers, as it could be used to forcibly terminate user sessions and potentially redirect them to malicious sites. The vulnerability also undermines the security model of the application by allowing attackers to manipulate user authentication states without proper authorization checks.
This vulnerability maps directly to CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in web applications. The flaw demonstrates a classic lack of anti-CSRF protection mechanisms that should be implemented at the application level to prevent unauthorized requests from being executed on behalf of authenticated users. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques involving credential access and session management manipulation, potentially enabling further attacks through session hijacking or user impersonation. The attack surface is particularly concerning as it affects the core authentication and session management components of the forum software, making it a high-priority target for exploitation by threat actors seeking to disrupt user access or escalate privileges within the application environment.
Organizations utilizing Web Wiz Forum 9.5 should immediately implement mitigations including the addition of anti-CSRF tokens to all state-changing operations, particularly authentication-related functions. The implementation should involve generating unique tokens for each user session and requiring their validation before processing logout requests. Additionally, developers should implement proper referer header validation and consider implementing SameSite cookie attributes to prevent cross-site request forgery. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of implementing comprehensive session management controls and demonstrates how seemingly simple authentication functions can become attack vectors when proper security measures are omitted. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the application, ensuring that all user-facing operations properly validate the authenticity of requests before executing any state-changing actions.