CVE-2010-1916 in Serendipity
Summary
by MITRE
The dynamic configuration feature in Xinha WYSIWYG editor 0.96 Beta 2 and earlier, as used in Serendipity 1.5.2 and earlier, allows remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions and modify the configuration of arbitrary plugins via (1) crafted backend_config_secret_key_location and backend_config_hash parameters that are used in a SHA1 hash of a shared secret that can be known or externally influenced, which are not properly handled by the "Deprecated config passing" feature; or (2) crafted backend_data and backend_data[key_location] variables, which are not properly handled by the xinha_read_passed_data function. NOTE: this can be leveraged to upload and possibly execute arbitrary files via config.inc.php in the ImageManager plugin.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/25/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2010-1916 represents a critical access control flaw within the Xinha WYSIWYG editor implementation in Serendipity CMS versions up to 1.5.2. This issue stems from improper handling of dynamic configuration parameters that should have been protected against unauthorized modification. The flaw exists in the Deprecated config passing mechanism which was designed to maintain backward compatibility but inadvertently created a security loophole. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to bypass intended access restrictions and manipulate plugin configurations without proper authentication, effectively gaining administrative privileges within the CMS environment.
The technical exploitation occurs through two distinct attack vectors that both leverage weaknesses in parameter validation and secret key handling. The first vector involves manipulating the backend_config_secret_key_location and backend_config_hash parameters where the SHA1 hash calculation uses a shared secret that can be known or externally influenced. This weakness allows attackers to craft valid hash values that would normally be required to modify configuration settings, effectively circumventing the authentication mechanism. The second vector exploits the xinha_read_passed_data function which fails to properly sanitize or validate the backend_data and backend_data[key_location] variables. These parameters are processed without adequate input validation, creating a path for arbitrary code execution through configuration file manipulation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it enables remote attackers to achieve complete system compromise through a single exploitation vector. The vulnerability specifically allows for file upload capabilities via the config.inc.php file within the ImageManager plugin, which can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code on the target system. This represents a classic privilege escalation scenario where unauthenticated attackers can gain administrative access to the CMS and subsequently compromise the entire web server. The vulnerability affects not just individual plugin configurations but can potentially lead to complete system takeover, making it particularly dangerous for web applications running vulnerable versions of Serendipity CMS.
This vulnerability maps directly to CWE-284 Access Control Bypass and CWE-770 Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling, as it allows unauthorized access to privileged configuration features while also enabling resource manipulation through file uploads. The attack pattern aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically targeting the execution of malicious code through configuration file manipulation. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to patched versions of both Xinha editor and Serendipity CMS, implementing proper input validation for all configuration parameters, and restricting access to administrative interfaces through network segmentation and authentication controls. Additionally, regular security audits should verify that configuration files are properly protected and that no unauthorized modifications have occurred, as this vulnerability could remain undetected for extended periods.