CVE-2012-1623 in Regcode
Summary
by MITRE
The Registration Codes module before 6.x-2.4 for Drupal does not restrict access to the registration code list, which might allow remote attackers to bypass intended registration restrictions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/22/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2012-1623 affects the Registration Codes module for Drupal versions prior to 6.x-2.4, representing a critical access control flaw that undermines the security of user registration processes. This module was designed to manage and control user registration through the use of registration codes, typically employed to restrict access to specific user roles or content areas within Drupal-based websites. The flaw stems from inadequate permission checking mechanisms that fail to properly validate user authorization before granting access to the registration code listing functionality.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the module's failure to enforce proper access controls when displaying registration code lists. Attackers can exploit this weakness by directly accessing the registration code listing pages without possessing the necessary administrative privileges. This misconfiguration allows unauthorized users to view all registration codes, potentially enabling them to bypass intended registration restrictions and gain unauthorized access to restricted content or user roles. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication, making it particularly dangerous in publicly accessible web environments.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability compromises the integrity of Drupal sites that rely on registration codes for access control, potentially leading to unauthorized user account creation, privilege escalation, and exposure of sensitive registration information. The flaw affects the fundamental security model of the registration system, undermining trust in the access control mechanisms that administrators have implemented. Security practitioners should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which specifically addresses improper access control issues in software applications. The attack vector can be categorized under the MITRE ATT&CK framework as privilege escalation or unauthorized access, where adversaries exploit weak access controls to gain elevated privileges or bypass intended security restrictions.
Organizations utilizing vulnerable Drupal installations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including upgrading to the patched version 6.x-2.4 or later, implementing additional access controls through custom code or alternative modules, and conducting thorough security audits of their registration processes. The remediation process should include verifying that only authorized administrators can access registration code management interfaces and that proper authentication mechanisms are enforced. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual access patterns to registration-related pages, and regular security assessments should be performed to identify similar access control vulnerabilities across the entire Drupal ecosystem.