CVE-2012-2564 in Web Filtering
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in the administrative interface in Bloxx Web Filtering before 5.0.14 allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that perform administrative actions.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-2564 represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw in the administrative interface of Bloxx Web Filtering software versions prior to 5.0.14. This vulnerability resides within the web application's authentication and authorization mechanisms, specifically targeting the administrative console that handles sensitive configuration and management functions. The flaw enables remote attackers to exploit the trust relationship between the web application and authenticated administrators, potentially allowing unauthorized modification of critical system settings, user management, and security policies without proper authorization.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF tokens or validation mechanisms within the administrative interface forms and API endpoints. When administrators perform administrative actions through the web interface, the application fails to validate that requests originate from legitimate administrative sessions rather than maliciously crafted web pages or embedded attack vectors. This weakness aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities where applications lack sufficient protection against unauthorized requests from authenticated users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it enables attackers to perform critical administrative functions such as adding new users, modifying existing user permissions, changing security policies, and potentially accessing restricted network resources. Attackers can craft malicious web pages or leverage existing compromised websites to trick administrators into executing these actions without their knowledge or consent. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the administrative level, providing attackers with elevated privileges that could compromise entire network security infrastructures. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which describes social engineering tactics used to gain initial access through deception.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires minimal technical expertise, as attackers can leverage existing web development knowledge to create malicious pages that automatically submit requests to the vulnerable Bloxx interface. The attack vector typically involves sending an authenticated administrator to a malicious website that contains embedded requests to the Bloxx administration interface, causing the administrator's browser to submit requests with their existing session cookies. This attack model fits within the broader category of web application attacks that exploit trust relationships and authentication mechanisms, making it a significant concern for organizations relying on web-based security appliances. Organizations implementing mitigation strategies should consider implementing proper CSRF token validation, enforcing strict session management practices, and regularly updating their security appliances to address known vulnerabilities. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of implementing comprehensive security controls across all application interfaces, particularly those handling administrative functions, and underscores the necessity of maintaining current security patches and configurations.