CVE-2010-3686 in Drupal
Summary
by MITRE
The OpenID module in Drupal 6.x before 6.18, and the OpenID module 5.x before 5.x-1.4 for Drupal, violates the OpenID 2.0 protocol by not ensuring that fields are signed, which allows remote attackers to bypass authentication by leveraging an assertion from an OpenID provider.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/25/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-3686 represents a critical security flaw in the OpenID authentication module of Drupal content management systems. This issue affects Drupal 6.x versions prior to 6.18 and Drupal 5.x versions prior to 5.x-1.4, where the OpenID module fails to properly implement the OpenID 2.0 protocol specifications. The core problem lies in the module's inability to ensure that all fields within OpenID assertions are properly signed, creating a fundamental weakness in the authentication process that can be exploited by malicious actors.
The technical flaw stems from the OpenID module's failure to validate the integrity of assertion data received from OpenID providers. According to the OpenID 2.0 specification, all fields within an assertion must be cryptographically signed to prevent tampering and ensure authenticity. When this validation is omitted, attackers can manipulate the assertion data to bypass authentication mechanisms. This vulnerability specifically targets the signature verification process that should occur during the OpenID authentication flow, allowing unauthorized users to present forged assertions that appear legitimate to the Drupal system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it fundamentally undermines the security of the authentication system. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to Drupal sites that rely on OpenID authentication, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability enables privilege escalation attacks where malicious users can authenticate as any valid OpenID user, including administrators, without possessing the corresponding credentials. This creates a significant risk for organizations that depend on OpenID for user authentication, as the entire authentication trust model becomes compromised.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-347, which addresses improper verification of cryptographic signatures, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1566 for credential access through social engineering and authentication bypass methods. Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately upgrade to the patched versions of Drupal 6.18 and 5.x-1.4, which implement proper signature validation for OpenID assertions. Additionally, system administrators should review all OpenID authentication configurations and consider implementing additional security controls such as multi-factor authentication and monitoring for suspicious authentication attempts. The patch addresses the core issue by enforcing proper cryptographic signature validation, ensuring that all OpenID assertion fields are verified before accepting authentication requests.