CVE-2010-0713 in Zenoss
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in Zenoss 2.3.3, and other versions before 2.5, allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of an administrator for (1) requests that reset user passwords via zport/dmd/ZenUsers/admin, and (2) requests that change user commands, which allows for remote execution of system commands via zport/dmd/userCommands/.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/01/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-0713 represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw affecting Zenoss versions prior to 2.5, specifically 2.3.3 and earlier releases. This vulnerability resides within the web application's authentication and authorization mechanisms, creating a significant security risk that can be exploited by remote attackers to gain unauthorized administrative privileges. The flaw stems from the application's failure to implement proper CSRF protection measures, allowing malicious actors to craft specially crafted requests that can be executed on behalf of authenticated administrators without their knowledge or consent.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through the application's handling of administrative endpoints that process sensitive operations. Attackers can exploit the CSRF vulnerability to reset user passwords through the zport/dmd/ZenUsers/admin endpoint, effectively compromising user accounts and potentially gaining full administrative control over the Zenoss system. Additionally, the vulnerability extends to the zport/dmd/userCommands/ endpoint, which allows for arbitrary command execution on the underlying system. This dual exploitation capability transforms what might initially appear as a password reset vulnerability into a full system compromise opportunity. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for Valid Accounts and T1059 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as it enables attackers to execute system commands through legitimate administrative interfaces.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple credential theft, as it provides attackers with the capability to execute arbitrary system commands on the target server. This creates a pathway for attackers to establish persistent access, escalate privileges, and potentially move laterally within the network environment. The administrative interface exposed through these endpoints represents a high-value target, as successful exploitation can result in complete system compromise and unauthorized access to all monitored network resources managed by the Zenoss platform. Organizations using affected versions face significant risk of data breaches, system corruption, and unauthorized access to critical infrastructure monitoring capabilities.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of CSRF protection mechanisms throughout the affected Zenoss application. Organizations should implement anti-CSRF tokens in all administrative requests and ensure proper validation of request origins and referer headers. The most effective solution involves upgrading to Zenoss version 2.5 or later, which includes proper CSRF protection measures. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of administrative interfaces to trusted networks only. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous administrative activities and unauthorized command execution attempts. The implementation of web application firewalls and regular security assessments can further reduce the attack surface and provide additional layers of protection against similar vulnerabilities. Organizations should also conduct thorough security audits of their Zenoss installations to identify and remediate any other potential CSRF vulnerabilities within their monitoring infrastructure.