CVE-2012-2316 in OpenKM
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in servlet/admin/AuthServlet.java in OpenKM 5.1.7 and other versions before 5.1.8-2 allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that execute arbitrary code via the script parameter to admin/scripting.jsp.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/07/2024
The CVE-2012-2316 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw discovered in OpenKM version 5.1.7 and earlier releases. This vulnerability exists within the servlet/admin/AuthServlet.java component and specifically targets the administrative authentication system. The flaw allows remote attackers to manipulate authenticated sessions by crafting malicious requests that appear to originate from legitimate administrators. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it enables attackers to execute arbitrary code on the target system through the script parameter in the admin/scripting.jsp endpoint, effectively granting them elevated privileges and administrative control over the affected OpenKM instance.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of request origins and lack of proper anti-CSRF token mechanisms within the authentication servlet. When administrators access the administrative interface, the system should verify that requests originate from legitimate sources and contain valid authentication tokens. However, the AuthServlet.java component fails to properly validate these security measures, allowing attackers to forge requests that bypass normal authentication checks. The script parameter in admin/scripting.jsp becomes the attack vector where malicious code can be injected and executed with administrative privileges, as the system does not adequately sanitize or validate the input parameters before processing them.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with complete administrative control over the OpenKM document management system. Once exploited, attackers can modify system configurations, access sensitive documents, create or delete user accounts, and potentially escalate their privileges further within the network environment. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on OpenKM for document management and collaboration, potentially exposing critical business data and intellectual property. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors can exploit this vulnerability from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access to the target network, making it particularly attractive to cybercriminals.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to OpenKM version 5.1.8-2 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing proper CSRF protection mechanisms such as anti-CSRF tokens in all administrative endpoints can help prevent similar attacks. Network segmentation and access controls should be reviewed to limit exposure of administrative interfaces to trusted networks only. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns in administrative access and script execution attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter, demonstrating how this vulnerability enables both privilege escalation and arbitrary code execution within the target environment.