CVE-2010-1732 in Application Framework
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the users module in Zikula Application Framework before 1.2.3 allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that change the administrator email address (updateemail action).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/08/2021
The CVE-2010-1732 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within the Zikula Application Framework's users module, specifically affecting versions prior to 1.2.3. This vulnerability exposes the framework to unauthorized administrative actions through malicious web requests that can be executed without the knowledge or consent of legitimate users. The flaw particularly targets the updateemail action within the administrator authentication context, enabling attackers to manipulate administrative email addresses and potentially gain further control over the system. The vulnerability stems from the absence of proper CSRF protection mechanisms in the framework's user management functions, creating a pathway for attackers to exploit the trust relationship between authenticated administrators and the application.
This technical weakness operates by exploiting the fundamental principle of CSRF attacks where an attacker crafts malicious requests that appear to originate from a legitimate authenticated user. The vulnerability specifically targets the administrator email update functionality, which represents a critical system configuration change that could enable attackers to compromise administrative access or redirect important notifications. The flaw demonstrates a failure in implementing anti-CSRF tokens or similar protection mechanisms within the framework's users module, allowing unauthorized modifications to administrator email addresses through carefully crafted cross-site requests. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because email address changes in administrative contexts often serve as critical points for account recovery, security notifications, and system access control.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple email address modification to encompass potential complete administrative compromise of the affected Zikula applications. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to change administrator email addresses to their own control, effectively gaining the ability to receive password reset emails and potentially regain administrative access to the system. This represents a significant threat to system integrity and confidentiality, as it allows attackers to manipulate critical user management functions without requiring direct authentication credentials. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for attackers to establish persistence within the system by changing email addresses to facilitate future exploitation attempts or to redirect security alerts away from legitimate administrators.
Organizations utilizing Zikula Application Framework versions prior to 1.2.3 face substantial risk from this vulnerability, particularly those with administrative users who maintain active web sessions. The attack vector requires minimal technical expertise and can be executed through standard web browser capabilities, making it accessible to a broad range of threat actors. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in web applications, and corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1566.002 for credential access through web application attacks. Security professionals should prioritize patching affected systems immediately and implement additional monitoring for unauthorized email address changes in administrative accounts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper input validation and authentication mechanisms in web application frameworks, as the absence of CSRF protection tokens in critical administrative functions represents a fundamental security oversight that could be exploited for more extensive attacks.