CVE-2014-125060 in CollabCal
Summary
by MITRE • 01/07/2023
A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in holdennb CollabCal. Affected is the function handleGet of the file calenderServer.cpp. The manipulation leads to improper authentication. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. The name of the patch is b80f6d1893607c99e5113967592417d0fe310ce6. It is recommended to apply a patch to fix this issue. VDB-217614 is the identifier assigned to this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/29/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-125060 represents a critical authentication flaw within the holdennb CollabCal application, specifically targeting the handleGet function within the calenderServer.cpp file. This weakness fundamentally compromises the system's ability to properly verify user credentials and authorization status, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this calendar management solution. The vulnerability's classification as critical indicates the potential for severe impact including unauthorized access to sensitive calendar data and system resources. The flaw exists in the server-side processing logic where the application fails to properly validate authentication tokens or session information during calendar data retrieval operations, allowing malicious actors to bypass normal access controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and authentication checking within the handleGet function, which processes calendar data requests from clients. When remote users submit requests to access calendar information through the affected application, the system does not properly verify whether the requesting user possesses appropriate authorization rights. This authentication bypass occurs because the function fails to implement proper session management or token validation mechanisms, allowing attackers to craft malicious requests that appear to originate from authorized users. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can leverage this flaw from outside the network perimeter without requiring physical access or prior authentication credentials. This characteristic significantly increases the attack surface and makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous for internet-facing applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential data breaches, privacy violations, and system compromise. Calendar systems often contain sensitive personal and business information including meeting schedules, confidential communications, and private events that organizations rely upon for operational security. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could gain access to complete calendar databases, potentially exposing sensitive corporate information or personal details of users. The implications are particularly severe in enterprise environments where calendar systems integrate with other business-critical applications, creating potential for cascading security incidents. Additionally, the vulnerability could enable attackers to perform unauthorized calendar modifications, potentially disrupting business operations or creating false records for malicious purposes.
Security professionals should immediately implement the recommended patch identified by the commit hash b80f6d1893607c99e5113967592417d0fe310ce6 to remediate this vulnerability. The patch addresses the core authentication flaw by implementing proper input validation and session verification mechanisms within the handleGet function. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify any potential exploitation attempts or unauthorized access that may have occurred prior to patch deployment. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous calendar access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues in software systems, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege in cybersecurity. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving credential access and privilege escalation, as it allows attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms and potentially gain elevated access to system resources. Organizations should also review their overall authentication architecture to ensure similar flaws do not exist in other components of their calendar and collaboration systems.