CVE-2008-4600 in PokerMax Poker League Tournament Script
Summary
by MITRE
configure.php in PokerMax Poker League Tournament Script 0.13 allows remote attackers to bypass authentication and gain administrative access by setting the ValidUserAdmin cookie.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/08/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2008-4600 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw within the PokerMax Poker League Tournament Script version 0.13. This issue stems from improper session management and cookie validation mechanisms that fail to adequately verify user credentials before granting administrative privileges. The vulnerability specifically affects the configure.php script which serves as a critical administrative interface for managing tournament configurations and user accounts. Attackers can exploit this weakness by simply manipulating the ValidUserAdmin cookie parameter, effectively allowing them to assume administrative roles without proper authentication credentials.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic case of insecure cookie handling and insufficient input validation. When the PokerMax script processes administrative requests, it relies on the ValidUserAdmin cookie to determine access levels. However, the authentication mechanism fails to properly validate the cookie contents or verify that the administrative privileges have been legitimately granted through proper authentication procedures. This weakness creates a direct pathway for unauthenticated attackers to escalate their privileges and gain full administrative control over the tournament management system. The vulnerability falls under the category of CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication mechanisms, and specifically relates to CWE-384, concerning session management flaws that allow privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with complete control over the tournament system's administrative functions. Once an attacker successfully sets the ValidUserAdmin cookie, they can modify tournament configurations, manipulate user accounts, alter scoring systems, and potentially access sensitive data. This level of access could disrupt tournament operations, compromise tournament integrity, and expose confidential user information. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability means that attackers do not need physical access to the system or local network connectivity, making it particularly dangerous for web-based tournament management platforms. The impact aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts usage and privilege escalation through unauthorized access.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust session management practices and proper authentication validation. The most effective approach involves implementing server-side session validation that does not rely solely on client-side cookie manipulation. Administrators should ensure that all administrative functions require proper authentication through secure login mechanisms before granting access to sensitive areas. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and sanitization for all cookie parameters can prevent attackers from manipulating session tokens. The system should also employ secure session management practices including proper session regeneration after authentication, secure cookie attributes such as HttpOnly and Secure flags, and regular session timeout mechanisms. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as IP address monitoring, failed login attempt tracking, and multi-factor authentication for administrative access to further protect against exploitation of similar vulnerabilities.