CVE-2012-6146 in TYPO3
Summary
by MITRE
The Backend History Module in TYPO3 4.5.x before 4.5.21, 4.6.x before 4.6.14, and 4.7.x before 4.7.6 does not properly restrict access, which allows remote authenticated editors to read the history of arbitrary records via a crafted URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/09/2019
The vulnerability CVE-2012-6146 affects TYPO3 content management systems across multiple versions including 4.5.x before 4.5.21, 4.6.x before 4.6.14, and 4.7.x before 4.7.6. This represents a critical access control flaw within the Backend History Module that undermines the security model of the platform. The issue stems from insufficient input validation and access restriction mechanisms that fail to properly validate user permissions when processing history requests for database records.
The technical flaw manifests when authenticated editors submit crafted URLs to access the history module for records they should not be authorized to view. This vulnerability falls under CWE-285 which specifically addresses insufficient authorization checks in software systems. The backend history functionality in TYPO3 is designed to track changes made to content and configuration records, but due to improper access validation, malicious users can bypass normal permission boundaries to retrieve historical data from arbitrary records within the system. The flaw operates by exploiting the module's URL parameter handling without adequate verification of the requesting user's privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations relying on TYPO3 for their web presence and content management. Remote authenticated editors who exploit this flaw can gain unauthorized access to sensitive historical data, potentially including confidential content changes, user modifications, and system configuration histories. This breach of confidentiality can lead to information disclosure that may reveal system vulnerabilities, business processes, or sensitive operational details. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires only authentication to the system, meaning that any user with valid credentials can potentially access restricted historical data from other users or system components.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement the official patches released by TYPO3 for versions 4.5.21, 4.6.14, and 4.7.6 respectively. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive access control reviews and monitoring of backend history module usage patterns. System administrators should also consider implementing additional security controls such as web application firewalls and regular security audits to detect anomalous access patterns. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213 which covers data from information repositories, as it enables unauthorized access to historical data stored within the application's backend systems. The remediation process should include thorough testing of the patched versions to ensure that legitimate history functionality remains operational while preventing the unauthorized access paths that this vulnerability exploited.