CVE-2010-5283 in Livelink ECM
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in OpenText ECM (formerly Livelink ECM) 9.7.1 allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that change folder and resource permissions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/09/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-5283 represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within OpenText ECM version 9.7.1, formerly known as Livelink ECM. This vulnerability resides in the web application's authentication and authorization mechanisms, specifically targeting the permission management functionality that governs folder and resource access controls. The flaw enables malicious actors to exploit the trust relationship between authenticated users and the application, potentially allowing unauthorized privilege escalation through crafted malicious requests.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF tokens or validation mechanisms within the permission modification endpoints. When administrators perform actions to modify folder or resource permissions, the application fails to validate that these requests originate from legitimate administrative sessions rather than maliciously crafted web pages. This oversight creates a condition where an attacker can construct a malicious webpage containing hidden iframe elements or automated form submissions that trigger permission changes without the administrator's knowledge or consent. The vulnerability specifically affects the administrative functionality, making it particularly dangerous as it could allow attackers to gain elevated privileges or disrupt critical access controls within the document management system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it directly compromises the integrity and confidentiality of the entire document management ecosystem. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could modify access permissions to restrict legitimate users from accessing critical resources, or conversely, grant unauthorized access to sensitive materials. This capability undermines the fundamental security model of the application and could lead to data breaches, unauthorized modifications, or complete compromise of the document repository. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it targets administrative functions, meaning that successful exploitation could result in widespread system compromise and potential data loss.
Organizations utilizing OpenText ECM 9.7.1 should immediately implement mitigations including the deployment of anti-CSRF tokens for all administrative functions, implementation of proper referer header validation, and enforcement of session management controls. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery weaknesses in web applications. From an ATT&CK perspective, this vulnerability maps to technique T1548.001, which involves privilege escalation through abuse of administrative tools, and T1078, which covers valid accounts usage for persistence. Organizations should also consider implementing network-level protections such as web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious permission change patterns. Additionally, regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other administrative functions within the system. The remediation process should include immediate patching of the application to the latest version that addresses this specific vulnerability, along with comprehensive security training for administrators to recognize and avoid potential CSRF attack vectors.