CVE-2012-5554 in Webform CiviCRM
Summary
by MITRE
The default configuration for the Webform CiviCRM Integration module 7.x-3.x before 7.x-3.2 has "Enforce Permissions" disabled, which allows remote attackers to obtain contact information by reading webforms.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/11/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-5554 affects the Webform CiviCRM Integration module version 7.x-3.x prior to 7.x-3.2, representing a critical misconfiguration that exposes sensitive contact data to unauthorized remote attackers. This issue resides within the module's default security settings where the "Enforce Permissions" feature remains disabled, creating an access control weakness that bypasses normal authorization mechanisms. The flaw specifically impacts Drupal-based web applications that utilize CiviCRM for contact management and webform integration, making it particularly dangerous in environments where sensitive personal data is collected through online forms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the module's default configuration that fails to properly enforce access controls when processing webform submissions. When "Enforce Permissions" is disabled, the system does not validate user credentials or roles before allowing access to contact information stored within the CiviCRM database. This creates a path of least privilege violation where any remote attacker can exploit the webform endpoints to retrieve contact details without proper authentication. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and leverages the inherent trust placed in the default module configuration, making it particularly insidious as administrators may unknowingly leave systems exposed due to default settings.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it enables attackers to systematically harvest contact information from webforms that may contain personally identifiable information, email addresses, phone numbers, and other sensitive data points. This reconnaissance capability allows adversaries to build comprehensive contact databases that can be used for social engineering attacks, spam campaigns, or more sophisticated targeted attacks. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on webforms for donor management, event registration, membership applications, or any scenario where sensitive contact data is collected through Drupal-powered websites. According to CWE-284, this represents an improper access control vulnerability where the system fails to properly enforce authorization checks, while the ATT&CK framework categorizes this under privilege escalation and credential access techniques.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement several mitigation strategies to address the exposed contact data. The primary remediation involves updating the Webform CiviCRM Integration module to version 7.x-3.2 or later, where the "Enforce Permissions" feature is properly enabled by default. System administrators must also conduct thorough security audits of all webform configurations to ensure that permission enforcement is active across all contact collection points. Additional protective measures include implementing network-level access controls, monitoring webform access logs for unusual patterns, and establishing proper role-based access controls within the CiviCRM system. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure configuration management and the principle of least privilege in web application security, where default settings should never compromise system integrity. Organizations should also consider implementing automated security scanning tools to detect similar misconfigurations across their web application portfolio, as this vulnerability type commonly occurs in legacy systems where default security settings are not properly reviewed or updated.