CVE-2009-4528 in Og Vocab
Summary
by MITRE
The Organic Groups (OG) Vocabulary module 6.x before 6.x-1.0 for Drupal allows remote authenticated group members to bypass intended access restrictions, and create, modify, or read a vocabulary, via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/23/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-4528 affects the Organic Groups (OG) Vocabulary module version 6.x before 6.x-1.0 in Drupal platforms, representing a critical access control flaw that undermines the security model of group-based content management. This module extension, designed to provide vocabulary management capabilities within Drupal's Organic Groups framework, contains a significant authorization bypass vulnerability that allows authenticated users to perform actions beyond their intended permissions. The flaw specifically impacts the module's ability to properly enforce access controls for vocabulary operations, creating a pathway for unauthorized privilege escalation within group environments. The vulnerability exists within the module's permission checking mechanisms, where it fails to adequately validate user privileges before permitting vocabulary-related actions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and access control checks within the OG Vocabulary module's codebase. Attackers leveraging this flaw can exploit unspecified vectors to bypass intended access restrictions that should normally prevent group members from creating, modifying, or reading vocabularies outside their designated permissions. This represents a classic authorization bypass vulnerability that aligns with CWE-285, which classifies improper authorization issues in software systems. The flaw demonstrates a failure in the principle of least privilege, where authenticated users can perform administrative functions without proper authorization, potentially leading to data manipulation and unauthorized access to sensitive group information.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security risks for organizations relying on Drupal's Organic Groups for collaborative content management. Group administrators may unknowingly grant elevated privileges to members who should only have basic access rights, leading to potential data breaches, content tampering, and unauthorized modification of vocabulary structures that govern group content organization. The vulnerability's remote nature means attackers can exploit it from external networks without requiring physical access to the system, making it particularly dangerous for organizations with distributed user bases. This flaw can result in complete compromise of group-based access controls, undermining the fundamental security assumptions of the Drupal Organic Groups module and potentially affecting multiple group environments within a single installation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-4528 require immediate attention from system administrators and security teams responsible for Drupal deployments. The primary recommendation involves upgrading to the patched version 6.x-1.0 or later of the OG Vocabulary module, which addresses the authorization bypass through proper access control validation. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts, particularly focusing on vocabulary-related API calls and administrative operations. The vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security audits and patch management processes, as it demonstrates how seemingly minor permission flaws can create significant security risks in collaborative environments. Security teams should also consider implementing additional access controls and monitoring mechanisms to detect anomalous behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical need for proper security testing and validation of access control mechanisms, particularly in modules that extend core platform functionality with group-based permissions. The flaw's classification under ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential stuffing emphasizes the need for comprehensive security monitoring and account management practices to prevent exploitation of such vulnerabilities.