CVE-2014-3920 in Kanboard
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in Kanboard before 1.0.6 allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that add an administrative user via a save action to the default URI.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/11/2019
The CVE-2014-3920 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw in Kanboard versions prior to 1.0.6 that fundamentally compromises the application's authentication security model. This vulnerability operates by exploiting the absence of proper anti-CSRF protection mechanisms within the administrative user creation functionality, specifically targeting the default URI endpoint responsible for saving new administrative user accounts. The flaw enables remote attackers to craft malicious web pages or emails that can automatically submit administrative user creation requests on behalf of authenticated administrators without their knowledge or consent.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to validate the origin of requests made to the administrative user creation endpoint. When an administrator visits a malicious site while authenticated to Kanboard, the attacker can embed a hidden form or script that automatically submits a request to the default URI for adding administrative users. This occurs because the application relies solely on session-based authentication without implementing anti-CSRF tokens or origin validation checks that would normally prevent unauthorized requests from being processed. The vulnerability specifically affects the save action within the administrative user management interface, making it particularly dangerous as it allows attackers to escalate privileges and gain full administrative control over the application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it directly enables privilege escalation attacks that can result in complete system compromise. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can add new administrative accounts to the system, effectively creating backdoor access points that persist beyond the initial attack window. This capability transforms a simple CSRF vulnerability into a persistent threat that can be used for data exfiltration, system modification, or further lateral movement within the network. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it targets administrative functionality, meaning that successful exploitation results in full administrative privileges rather than limited user access. The default URI targeting aspect of the vulnerability means that attackers do not need to know specific endpoint paths or complex attack vectors, making the exploit relatively simple to implement.
Organizations using vulnerable versions of Kanboard face significant risk of unauthorized administrative access and potential data breaches. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers can exploit it from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access to the network or system. Security practitioners should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to Kanboard version 1.0.6 or later, which includes proper CSRF token implementation and validation mechanisms. Additional protective measures include implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious request patterns, configuring proper HTTP headers including Content Security Policy directives, and conducting regular security audits of web applications to identify similar authentication bypass vulnerabilities. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for valid accounts and T1566.001 for credential access through social engineering, highlighting the need for comprehensive security controls beyond just patch management.