CVE-2009-1771 in Flyspeck
Summary
by MITRE
index.php in Flyspeck CMS 6.8 does not require administrative authentication for the updateExistingContent action, which allows remote attackers to create or modify admin accounts via the (1) users[fullname], (2) users[email], (3) users[role_id], (4) users[username], and (5) users[password] parameters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/29/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-1771 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw within the Flyspeck CMS 6.8 platform. This issue stems from inadequate access control mechanisms that fail to properly verify administrative privileges before executing sensitive operations. The vulnerability specifically affects the index.php script where the updateExistingContent action lacks proper authentication checks, creating a pathway for unauthorized remote attackers to escalate their privileges and gain administrative control over the content management system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits a fundamental flaw in the application's permission model where the updateExistingContent action does not validate whether the requesting user possesses administrative credentials before processing user account modifications. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting malicious requests that include the five specified parameters: users[fullname], users[email], users[role_id], users[username], and users[password]. These parameters allow the attacker to create entirely new administrative accounts or modify existing user accounts with elevated privileges, effectively compromising the entire system's security posture.
The operational impact of CVE-2009-1771 is severe and multifaceted, as it enables attackers to establish persistent administrative access to the CMS platform. Once an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they can manipulate content, modify user permissions, access sensitive data, and potentially use the compromised system as a launching point for further attacks within the network infrastructure. The remote nature of the exploit means that attackers do not require physical access to the system and can target the vulnerability from anywhere on the internet, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that do not maintain proper network segmentation or monitoring controls.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses insufficient authorization issues in software applications, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1543 for creating or modifying system processes. The flaw represents a classic case of improper access control that violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and principle of least privilege enforcement. Organizations using Flyspeck CMS 6.8 should immediately implement mitigations including patching to the latest available version, implementing proper authentication checks for all administrative functions, and conducting thorough security audits of their web applications to identify similar authorization bypass vulnerabilities.
The remediation strategy should prioritize immediate patching of the Flyspeck CMS to a version that properly implements authentication checks for administrative actions. Additionally, system administrators should implement network-level controls such as firewall rules that restrict access to administrative interfaces, enable multi-factor authentication where possible, and establish robust monitoring of user account modifications and administrative activities. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other applications within the organization's infrastructure, as this type of authentication bypass vulnerability remains prevalent in legacy web applications.