CVE-2012-2275 in TestLink
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in TestLink 1.9.3 and earlier allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of users for requests that add, delete, or modify sensitive information, as demonstrated by changing the administrator s email via an editUser action to lib/usermanagement/userInfo.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/03/2025
The CVE-2012-2275 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw in TestLink versions 1.9.3 and earlier, exposing organizations to significant security risks through unauthorized administrative actions. This vulnerability resides within the user management component of the TestLink test management system, specifically targeting the editUser action in the lib/usermanagement/userInfo.php file. The flaw enables remote attackers to manipulate user accounts and potentially escalate privileges by exploiting the absence of proper CSRF protection mechanisms in the application's authentication flow.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to validate the origin of requests made to sensitive administrative functions. When users authenticate to the TestLink system, their session tokens are typically sufficient to authorize legitimate operations, but without CSRF protection, malicious actors can craft deceptive requests that appear to originate from authenticated users. The vulnerability specifically affects the editUser functionality, allowing attackers to modify user information including administrator email addresses, which can lead to complete account compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive system resources.
This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-352, which defines Cross-Site Request Forgery as a weakness where applications fail to validate that requests originate from legitimate sources. The operational impact extends beyond simple email modification, as attackers could potentially delete user accounts, modify permissions, or create new administrative accounts. The attack vector requires minimal technical expertise since it leverages existing authentication sessions, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrators frequently access the system from potentially compromised networks or devices.
The exploitation of CVE-2012-2275 aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.002, which describes credential access through phishing or social engineering attacks that can be amplified by CSRF vulnerabilities. Organizations using TestLink versions prior to 1.9.4 face significant risk of unauthorized account takeovers and data manipulation. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation and insufficient anti-CSRF measures, as the system does not implement token-based validation or referer header checks that would prevent unauthorized requests from being processed.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability include immediate upgrade to TestLink 1.9.4 or later versions where CSRF protection has been implemented. Organizations should also consider implementing additional protective measures such as CSRF token validation in custom applications, session management improvements, and regular security assessments. Network-based protections including web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious user management activities can provide additional layers of defense. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining current software versions and implementing proper authentication validation mechanisms as outlined in OWASP Top Ten security principles.
The broader implications of this vulnerability extend to organizational security practices, emphasizing the need for comprehensive vulnerability management programs that include regular security assessments, patch management procedures, and security awareness training. Organizations should implement systematic approaches to identifying and addressing CSRF vulnerabilities across all web applications, particularly those handling sensitive user data or administrative functions. This incident underscores the critical importance of validating all user requests and implementing robust session management strategies to prevent unauthorized system access and data manipulation.