CVE-2012-5505 in Plone
Summary
by MITRE
atat.py in Plone before 4.2.3 and 4.3 before beta 1 allows remote attackers to read private data structures via a request for a view without a name.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/13/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-5505 affects the Plone content management system and represents a significant information disclosure flaw that could enable remote attackers to access sensitive private data structures. This vulnerability exists in the atat.py module and impacts Plone versions prior to 4.2.3 and 4.3 beta 1, making it a critical concern for organizations relying on these older versions of the platform. The flaw specifically relates to how the system handles view requests that lack explicit naming parameters, creating an unintended pathway for unauthorized data access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and access control mechanisms within the atat.py module. When a remote attacker submits a request for a view without specifying a name parameter, the system fails to properly validate the request context and may inadvertently expose internal private data structures that should remain protected. This occurs because the application does not adequately enforce access controls or validate whether the requesting entity has proper authorization to access the requested view or underlying data structures. The flaw essentially allows attackers to bypass normal access controls through malformed or incomplete view requests, potentially leading to exposure of sensitive information such as internal object references, configuration details, or other private data elements.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with potential access to internal system structures that could aid in further exploitation attempts. Organizations running affected Plone versions face significant risk of data breaches, as attackers could potentially gather intelligence about the internal architecture, object hierarchies, and system configurations. This information could subsequently be leveraged to plan more sophisticated attacks or identify additional vulnerabilities within the system. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where Plone is used for content management with sensitive data, as it creates an avenue for unauthorized access to private content and system internals.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability primarily involve upgrading to patched versions of Plone, specifically versions 4.2.3 or later for the 4.2 series and beta 1 or later for the 4.3 series. Organizations should also implement additional access control measures and network segmentation to limit exposure, though these serve as temporary workarounds rather than permanent solutions. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses information exposure, and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1213 for data from information repositories, highlighting the information gathering aspect of this flaw. System administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for unusual view request patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while conducting regular security assessments to identify similar access control weaknesses in their Plone implementations.