CVE-2014-2859 in Commonspot Content Server
Summary
by MITRE
PaperThin CommonSpot before 7.0.2 and 8.x before 8.0.3 allows remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions via a direct request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/10/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-2859 affects PaperThin CommonSpot content management systems across multiple versions including those prior to 7.0.2 and 8.x versions before 8.0.3. This represents a critical access control flaw that undermines the security posture of organizations relying on this platform for web content management and digital asset delivery. The vulnerability specifically enables remote attackers to circumvent intended authorization mechanisms through direct requests, effectively allowing unauthorized access to restricted resources and functionality within the application.
The technical flaw stems from insufficient input validation and access control enforcement within the CommonSpot application framework. When users make direct requests to specific application endpoints, the system fails to properly verify whether the requester possesses appropriate authorization credentials or permissions to access the targeted resources. This weakness creates an attack vector where malicious actors can construct crafted HTTP requests that bypass the normal authentication and authorization workflows typically enforced by the application's security architecture. The vulnerability manifests when the application processes these direct requests without adequate validation of user privileges or session state, leading to unauthorized access to protected content, administrative functions, or sensitive data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential data breaches, system compromise, and business disruption. Attackers exploiting this flaw could gain access to confidential information stored within the CommonSpot environment, including proprietary content, user data, or system configuration details. The vulnerability also poses risks to business continuity as unauthorized individuals might modify or delete critical content, potentially causing reputational damage and operational disruption. Organizations using CommonSpot for mission-critical applications face significant exposure since this vulnerability affects core access control mechanisms that should prevent unauthorized users from accessing restricted functionality.
Security practitioners should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches and updates that address the access control bypass issue in CommonSpot versions prior to 7.0.2 and 8.0.3. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be configured to limit access to CommonSpot application endpoints to authorized administrative networks and users only. Additionally, implementing robust monitoring and logging mechanisms can help detect suspicious direct requests or unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues, and corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for spearphishing with a payload, as attackers may leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and maintain persistent access to compromised systems. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify any other potential access control weaknesses within their CommonSpot implementations and related systems.