CVE-2008-6729 in PHPmotion
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in password.php in PHPmotion 2.1 and earlier allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of arbitrary users for requests that modify an account via the (1) password or (2) email_address parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/20/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-6729 represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw in PHPmotion version 2.1 and earlier systems. This vulnerability exists within the password.php script and specifically targets the authentication mechanism of the application. The flaw allows remote attackers to exploit the system's lack of proper validation for user requests, enabling them to manipulate account credentials through carefully crafted malicious requests. The vulnerability manifests when attackers can manipulate the password or email_address parameters to perform unauthorized account modifications without proper authentication.
This CSRF vulnerability operates by tricking authenticated users into executing unintended actions on a web application where they are currently authenticated. The flaw stems from the application's failure to implement proper anti-CSRF token validation mechanisms within the password modification functionality. Attackers can construct malicious web pages or emails that, when clicked by an authenticated user, automatically submit requests to the vulnerable password.php script. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it targets account modification functions that directly impact user authentication credentials, making it a prime vector for account takeover attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it enables complete account compromise through authentication hijacking. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can change any user's password or email address, effectively gaining unauthorized control over user accounts. This creates a cascading security risk where compromised accounts can be used to access sensitive data, perform unauthorized transactions, or serve as entry points for further attacks within the system. The vulnerability affects all users who have authenticated sessions with the PHPmotion application, making it particularly dangerous in environments with multiple user accounts.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in web applications. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation and insufficient session management practices that violate fundamental web security principles. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under privilege escalation and credential access tactics, as it enables adversaries to modify user accounts and potentially gain persistent access to systems. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical expertise and can be automated, making it particularly dangerous in real-world scenarios.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust anti-CSRF token mechanisms throughout the application's authentication flows. Developers must ensure that all state-changing requests include unique, unpredictable tokens that are validated server-side before processing. The implementation should follow established security frameworks such as OWASP's CSRF protection guidelines, which recommend using synchronizer tokens, custom headers, or SameSite cookies. Additionally, proper session management and request origin validation should be enforced to prevent unauthorized requests from being processed. Regular security audits and input validation should be implemented to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future code modifications.