CVE-2009-3261 in LiveStreet
Summary
by MITRE
update/update_0.1.2_to_0.2.php in LiveStreet 0.2 does not require administrative authentication, which allows remote attackers to perform DROP TABLE operations via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/20/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2009-3261 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw within the LiveStreet content management system version 0.2. This issue specifically affects the update script update_0.1.2_to_0.2.php which fails to implement proper administrative authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability falls under the category of insufficient authentication as classified by CWE-287, where unauthorized users can gain elevated privileges through flawed access control implementations. The flaw exists in the update process that should typically require administrative credentials to execute database modification operations, yet the script permits remote execution without proper verification.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability allows remote attackers to perform destructive DROP TABLE operations against the database. This represents a severe privilege escalation vector where an unauthenticated user can execute administrative database commands. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the description suggest that the attack could be facilitated through various entry points including direct script access, parameter manipulation, or other indirect methods that bypass normal authentication flows. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation and access control implementation, as the update script does not verify whether the requesting user possesses the necessary administrative privileges before executing potentially destructive operations.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for systems running LiveStreet 0.2 as it enables complete database destruction or data loss. Attackers could leverage this flaw to drop critical tables containing user data, configuration settings, or content management structures. The impact extends beyond simple data loss to include potential service disruption, system compromise, and business continuity issues. Organizations using this version of LiveStreet would face immediate security risk, particularly in environments where update scripts are accessible from external networks. The vulnerability also exposes systems to potential further exploitation through secondary attacks that could follow database destruction.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of the LiveStreet CMS to a version that properly implements authentication requirements for update operations. System administrators should ensure that update scripts are not publicly accessible and are restricted to authorized administrative access only. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to limit access to update scripts to trusted administrative networks. The implementation of proper access control mechanisms should be enforced through CWE-287 compliance measures, ensuring that all administrative functions require valid authentication before execution. Additionally, regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar authentication bypass vulnerabilities in other system components. Organizations should also implement monitoring and logging of update script access to detect unauthorized attempts to execute administrative operations. This vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and implementing proper authentication controls as outlined in industry standards such as those defined by the CWE and ATT&CK frameworks, where such flaws can lead to complete system compromise through unauthorized administrative access.