CVE-2012-0911 in TikiWiki
Summary
by MITRE
TikiWiki CMS/Groupware before 6.7 LTS and before 8.4 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary PHP code via a crafted serialized object in the (1) cookieName to lib/banners/bannerlib.php; (2) printpages or (3) printstructures parameter to (a) tiki-print_multi_pages.php or (b) tiki-print_pages.php; or (4) sendpages, (5) sendstructures, or (6) sendarticles parameter to tiki-send_objects.php, which is not properly handled when processed by the unserialize function.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/02/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0911 represents a critical remote code execution flaw in TikiWiki CMS/Groupware versions prior to 6.7 LTS and 8.4. This vulnerability stems from improper input validation and unsafe deserialization practices within the application's handling of user-supplied data. The flaw specifically affects multiple endpoints including bannerlib.php, tiki-print_multi_pages.php, tiki-print_pages.php, and tiki-send_objects.php, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through various attack vectors within the application's functionality.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the application's reliance on the unserialize function without proper sanitization or validation of input data. When users provide crafted serialized objects through the vulnerable parameters cookieName, printpages, printstructures, sendpages, sendstructures, or sendarticles, the application processes these inputs through unserialize operations that execute arbitrary PHP code. This represents a classic deserialization vulnerability that falls under CWE-502, which specifically addresses "Deserialization of Untrusted Data" in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog. The vulnerability enables attackers to inject malicious serialized objects that, when processed, result in code execution on the target server.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-0911 is severe and far-reaching, as it allows remote attackers to gain full control over affected TikiWiki installations. Successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, privilege escalation, and the potential for further lateral movement within network environments. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent backdoors, deploy malware, or use the compromised systems as launch points for attacking other network resources. The vulnerability's widespread nature across multiple file processing endpoints increases the attack surface significantly, making it particularly attractive to threat actors seeking to exploit vulnerable web applications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected TikiWiki versions to 6.7 LTS or 8.4 and later releases where the deserialization issues have been addressed. Organizations should implement input validation controls that sanitize all user-supplied data before processing, particularly when dealing with serialized objects. Network segmentation and firewall rules can help limit access to vulnerable endpoints, while monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual patterns in cookie handling or object serialization requests. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1505.003 "Malicious File Execution" underscores the importance of implementing strict file validation and execution controls. Additionally, security teams should consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious serialized object requests, and conduct regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications that may be susceptible to the same class of deserialization attacks.