CVE-2013-4379 in Make Meeting Scheduler module
Summary
by MITRE
The Make Meeting Scheduler module 6.x-1.x before 6.x-1.3 for Drupal allows remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions for a poll via a direct request to the node s URL instead of the hashed URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/11/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-4379 affects the Make Meeting Scheduler module version 6.x-1.x prior to 6.x-1.3 within the Drupal content management system. This security flaw represents a critical access control bypass issue that undermines the intended security mechanisms designed to protect poll functionality within the module. The vulnerability specifically targets the authorization checks implemented for poll access restrictions, creating a pathway for unauthorized users to gain access to restricted poll content through direct URL manipulation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper validation of access permissions within the module's URL handling mechanism. When users attempt to access poll content, the module should verify whether the requesting user possesses the necessary privileges to view or interact with the specific poll. However, the flaw allows attackers to circumvent these checks by directly accessing the node URL rather than utilizing the properly secured hashed URL mechanism that would normally validate user permissions. This direct access bypasses the authentication and authorization layers that should normally prevent unauthorized access to sensitive poll data.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for organizations relying on the Make Meeting Scheduler module for collaborative planning and polling activities. Attackers can exploit this weakness to access confidential poll information, potentially including vote results, participant lists, and other sensitive data that should remain restricted to authorized users only. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure as it may enable further attacks such as vote manipulation or denial of service against poll functionality, particularly when combined with other vulnerabilities in the Drupal ecosystem.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues in software systems, and demonstrates how weak access control mechanisms can lead to unauthorized system access. From an attacker's perspective, this flaw maps to techniques described in the ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation and defense evasion tactics, as it allows unauthorized access to restricted resources without proper authentication. Organizations using Drupal systems with vulnerable versions of this module face increased risk of data breaches and unauthorized access to collaborative planning tools that may contain sensitive organizational information.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediate upgrade to version 6.x-1.3 or later of the Make Meeting Scheduler module, which contains the necessary patches to address the access control bypass vulnerability. System administrators should also conduct thorough security assessments of their Drupal installations to identify any other vulnerable modules or components that may present similar access control issues. Additionally, implementing proper network segmentation and access controls can provide defense-in-depth measures to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities, while maintaining regular security monitoring and vulnerability scanning practices to detect and remediate similar issues before they can be exploited by malicious actors.