CVE-2009-3257 in vtiger
Summary
by MITRE
vtiger CRM before 5.1.0 allows remote authenticated users to bypass the permissions on the (1) Account Billing Address and (2) Shipping Address fields in a profile by creating a Sales Order (SO) associated with that profile.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/20/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2009-3257 represents a critical access control flaw within the vtiger CRM platform prior to version 5.1.0. This issue stems from inadequate permission validation mechanisms that fail to properly enforce field-level security restrictions for sensitive customer data. The vulnerability specifically targets the Account Billing Address and Shipping Address fields within user profiles, creating a scenario where authenticated attackers can circumvent established security controls through legitimate system operations.
The technical flaw manifests when remote authenticated users exploit a weakness in the Sales Order creation process. By creating a Sales Order associated with a specific profile, attackers can bypass the intended permission restrictions that should normally prevent access to sensitive address information. This occurs because the system fails to validate whether the user has proper authorization to view or modify these particular fields during the Sales Order creation workflow. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-284 Access Control Bypass, which specifically addresses situations where systems fail to properly enforce access control mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it fundamentally undermines the integrity of the CRM's security model. Attackers can potentially access confidential customer billing and shipping information without proper authorization, which could lead to identity theft, fraud, and other malicious activities. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on vtiger CRM for customer relationship management, particularly those handling sensitive personal and financial data. This weakness creates a persistent risk where legitimate users with appropriate permissions can inadvertently expose sensitive information through normal business processes.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 Valid Accounts, as it leverages existing authenticated user accounts to perform unauthorized actions within the system. Security professionals should implement comprehensive monitoring of Sales Order creation activities and field access patterns to detect potential abuse of this vulnerability. Organizations should also ensure that proper role-based access controls are enforced throughout the system, with additional validation points during data entry and modification processes.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate upgrading to vtiger CRM version 5.1.0 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the permission bypass issue. Additionally, administrators should review and strengthen their access control policies, implement network segmentation, and establish regular security audits of CRM access logs. The vulnerability highlights the importance of thorough testing of access control mechanisms during system updates and the necessity of validating that all data access operations properly enforce security boundaries. Organizations should also consider implementing data loss prevention measures and continuous monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts.