CVE-2014-1946 in OpenDocMan
Summary
by MITRE
OpenDocMan 1.2.7 and earlier does not properly validate allowed actions, which allows remote authenticated users to bypass an intended access restrictions and assign administrative privileges to themselves via a crafted request to signup.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/09/2021
OpenDocMan version 1.2.7 and earlier suffered from a critical authorization bypass vulnerability that stemmed from inadequate input validation within the signup.php script. This flaw allowed authenticated users to manipulate request parameters and escalate their privileges to administrative status without proper authorization. The vulnerability specifically exploited a lack of proper access control validation when processing user registration requests, creating a pathway for malicious actors to gain elevated permissions. The issue was classified as a privilege escalation vulnerability that directly compromised the application's security model.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resided in the signup.php endpoint which failed to validate whether the requesting user possessed sufficient privileges to perform administrative actions. When an authenticated user submitted a crafted request containing manipulated parameters, the application would process these inputs without proper verification of the user's current authorization level. This design flaw enabled attackers to append administrative privilege flags or modify user role assignments within the request payload, effectively allowing them to bypass intended access controls. The vulnerability was particularly dangerous because it required only authenticated access to exploit, meaning that any user with valid credentials could potentially elevate their privileges.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability posed significant risks to organizations relying on OpenDocMan for document management. An attacker who successfully exploited this flaw could gain full administrative control over the document management system, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive documents, modification of system configurations, and complete compromise of the application's integrity. The impact extended beyond simple privilege escalation as administrators could then manipulate user accounts, create backdoors, or exfiltrate confidential data. This vulnerability directly violated the principle of least privilege and undermined the application's access control mechanisms.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization in software systems, and corresponds to attack patterns within the ATT&CK framework related to privilege escalation and credential access. Organizations should have implemented proper input validation and access control checks within the signup.php script to prevent unauthorized privilege assignment. Mitigation strategies included immediate patching of the application to version 1.2.8 or later, implementing proper parameter validation, and enforcing strict access control checks before any privilege modifications. Additionally, organizations should have conducted security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components and established robust monitoring for unauthorized privilege changes.
The exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrated the critical importance of proper access control implementation in web applications, particularly those handling user registration and privilege management. Security practitioners should have implemented defense-in-depth strategies including web application firewalls, regular security code reviews, and comprehensive testing for authorization bypass vulnerabilities. The incident highlighted the need for continuous security monitoring and timely patch management to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities in widely used open source applications. Organizations relying on similar document management systems should have conducted thorough security assessments to identify and remediate similar authorization flaws in their environments.