CVE-2010-4241 in Wiki CMS Groupware
Summary
by MITRE
Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware 5.2 has CSRF
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/29/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-4241 affects Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware version 5.2 and represents a cross-site request forgery flaw that enables attackers to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of web application security weaknesses that specifically target the integrity of user sessions and authorization mechanisms within web interfaces. The flaw exists in the application's handling of HTTP requests and demonstrates a critical failure in implementing proper request validation and user authentication checks.
Cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities occur when an application fails to validate that requests originate from legitimate sources within the same origin domain. In the context of Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware 5.2, this weakness allows malicious actors to craft specially crafted requests that, when executed by authenticated users, can modify application settings, create new user accounts, or perform administrative functions without proper authorization. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it leverages the trust relationship between the web application and the user's browser, exploiting the fact that browsers automatically include authentication cookies with requests to the target domain.
The technical implementation of this CSRF flaw in Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware 5.2 stems from inadequate validation of request sources and missing anti-CSRF tokens in critical administrative functions. When users navigate to malicious websites or click on compromised links, the attacker's web page can trigger requests to the vulnerable Tiki Wiki instance that appear to originate from the legitimate user's browser. This attack vector is particularly effective against applications that rely on session cookies for authentication, as these cookies are automatically included in HTTP requests by the browser without user intervention. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in software applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation, as it can lead to complete system compromise when combined with other attack vectors. An attacker who successfully exploits this CSRF vulnerability could potentially gain administrative privileges, modify critical application configuration, or even establish persistent backdoors within the Tiki Wiki environment. The attack requires minimal technical expertise and can be executed through simple HTML forms or JavaScript code, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users frequently visit untrusted websites or click on malicious links. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers the exploitation of vulnerabilities in web applications through social engineering and phishing attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-4241 should focus on implementing robust anti-CSRF protection mechanisms within the Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware application. The most effective approach involves generating and validating unique tokens for each user session that must be present in every state-changing request. These tokens should be cryptographically secure and tied to specific user sessions to prevent attackers from reusing them across different contexts. Additionally, the application should implement proper request origin validation and ensure that all administrative functions require explicit user confirmation before execution. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers and other browser-based protections to further reduce the attack surface. Regular security updates and patches should be applied immediately upon availability, as the vulnerability affects a specific version of the software that was likely superseded by subsequent releases containing proper CSRF protection mechanisms.