CVE-2008-6966 in AJ Auction
Summary
by MITRE
AJ Square AJ Auction Pro Platinum Skin #1 sends a redirect but does not exit when it is called directly, which allows remote attackers to bypass authentication via a direct request to admin/user.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/11/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-6966 resides within the AJ Square AJ Auction Pro Platinum Skin #1 web application, specifically manifesting in the admin/user.php component. This flaw represents a critical authentication bypass vulnerability that stems from improper access control implementation. The core issue occurs when the application receives a direct request to the admin/user.php file without proper validation or termination mechanisms. According to CWE-285, this vulnerability falls under improper authorization controls where the system fails to properly verify user permissions before granting access to administrative functions. The absence of proper exit mechanisms when the script is accessed directly creates a pathway for unauthenticated attackers to gain administrative privileges.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability exploits the fundamental principle of secure application design where direct access to administrative components should never be permitted without proper authentication. When an attacker directly calls admin/user.php, the application does not implement a proper exit or termination sequence that would prevent execution of administrative functions. This behavior aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which describes valid accounts usage for persistence and privilege escalation. The vulnerability essentially allows attackers to bypass the normal authentication flow that would typically occur through the application's login interface, directly accessing administrative functionality through a simple HTTP request.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides remote attackers with complete administrative control over the affected web application. Once exploited, attackers can manipulate auction listings, modify user accounts, access sensitive data, and potentially compromise the entire application infrastructure. This represents a critical risk to data integrity and confidentiality, as the attacker can perform any administrative action without proper authorization. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires no special privileges or complex attack vectors beyond simple web requests, making it highly exploitable and potentially automated through various attack frameworks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must focus on implementing proper input validation and access control mechanisms. The most effective approach involves adding proper exit conditions to the admin/user.php script to ensure that it terminates execution when accessed directly without proper authentication. This can be achieved through implementing proper session validation checks, access control lists, or using include guards that prevent direct execution of administrative scripts. Organizations should also implement proper web application firewall rules to monitor and block suspicious direct access patterns to administrative endpoints. According to NIST SP 800-53 security controls, this vulnerability requires implementation of access control mechanisms and secure coding practices to prevent unauthorized access to privileged functions. Additionally, regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the application stack.