CVE-2012-0990 in DClassifieds
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in admin/settings/update in DClassifieds 0.1 final allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that modify account settings such as the administrator password or email via certain Settings[] parameters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/31/2024
The CVE-2012-0990 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw discovered in the DClassifieds 0.1 final web application, specifically within the administrative settings update functionality. This vulnerability resides in the admin/settings/update endpoint, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise administrative accounts. The flaw allows remote attackers to manipulate administrative sessions by crafting malicious requests that appear legitimate to the web application, thereby bypassing standard authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically targets Settings[] parameters, which are commonly used to modify critical account configuration data including administrator passwords and email addresses, making it particularly dangerous for system security.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF token validation within the administrative update process. When administrators perform actions through the web interface, the application should validate that requests originate from legitimate sources by requiring unique tokens that are tied to the user's session. However, DClassifieds fails to implement this essential security control, leaving the administrative interface susceptible to exploitation. Attackers can leverage this weakness by tricking administrators into visiting malicious websites or clicking on compromised links that automatically submit forged requests to the vulnerable application. These requests, when executed, modify critical administrative settings without the administrator's knowledge or consent, effectively enabling unauthorized access to the system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data manipulation, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity and confidentiality of administrative accounts. Successful exploitation allows attackers to change administrator passwords, modify email addresses, and potentially gain persistent access to the system through account takeover. This represents a severe threat to the application's security posture and can lead to complete system compromise, data breaches, and unauthorized modifications to classified information. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers can exploit it from anywhere on the internet, without requiring physical access to the system or knowledge of valid credentials. According to the CWE catalog, this vulnerability maps to CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential access through social engineering attacks that exploit CSRF vulnerabilities.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must be comprehensive and multi-layered to address both immediate and long-term security concerns. The primary solution involves implementing robust anti-CSRF token mechanisms that are generated for each user session and validated on every administrative request. These tokens should be unique, unpredictable, and tied to the specific session to prevent attackers from crafting valid requests. Additionally, organizations should implement proper input validation and sanitization for all Settings[] parameters, ensuring that modifications are properly authorized and logged. Security headers such as Content Security Policy should be configured to prevent unauthorized script execution, while session management controls must be strengthened to detect and prevent session hijacking attempts. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components, as CSRF flaws often exist in multiple areas of web applications. The implementation of these controls aligns with security frameworks such as NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001 requirements for access control and session management, ensuring comprehensive protection against this class of vulnerability.