CVE-2015-0276 in Kallithea
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in Kallithea before 0.2.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/18/2019
The CVE-2015-0276 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw discovered in the Kallithea source code management system prior to version 0.2. This vulnerability resides within the web application's session management and request validation mechanisms, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this platform for code repository management. The vulnerability stems from the absence of proper CSRF protection measures that would normally validate the authenticity of user requests originating from trusted sources. Kallithea, being a web-based application designed for collaborative code management, handles sensitive operations such as repository creation, file modifications, and user access control that make it a prime target for CSRF attacks. The flaw allows malicious actors to trick authenticated users into executing unintended actions on the application without their knowledge or consent, potentially leading to unauthorized modifications of code repositories and compromise of development environments.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs at the application layer where the Kallithea platform fails to implement robust CSRF token validation mechanisms. When users interact with the web interface, legitimate requests should be accompanied by unique, unpredictable tokens that verify the request originated from the intended user session. However, the vulnerable version of Kallithea does not require such tokens for critical operations, allowing attackers to craft malicious requests that appear to come from authenticated users. This weakness specifically affects the application's handling of state-changing requests such as repository modifications, user account changes, and permission updates. The vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including phishing emails containing malicious links, compromised websites that embed CSRF attack payloads, or by leveraging existing session cookies to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of legitimate users.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-0276 extends beyond simple data modification threats, as it can compromise entire development workflows and code integrity. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could potentially alter source code repositories, introduce backdoors into the codebase, modify user permissions, or even delete critical repositories. The consequences are particularly severe in development environments where Kallithea is used for managing sensitive source code and collaborative development processes. Organizations may face significant risks including intellectual property theft, unauthorized code modifications that could introduce security vulnerabilities, and potential disruption of development cycles. The vulnerability also undermines the trust model that should exist between users and the application, as legitimate users' sessions become vulnerable to manipulation by attackers who can leverage the application's own authentication mechanisms against it. This type of vulnerability is classified under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in software applications.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-0276 primarily involve upgrading to version 0.2 or later of Kallithea, which includes proper CSRF token implementation and validation mechanisms. Organizations should also implement additional security controls such as deploying Content Security Policy headers, enabling secure session management practices, and conducting regular security assessments of their web applications. The solution aligns with ATT&CK technique T1548.002 which covers bypassing security controls through manipulation of web application logic. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious request patterns, and establish monitoring procedures to detect unauthorized modifications to code repositories. Organizations using older versions of Kallithea should urgently assess their deployment environments and implement temporary compensating controls while planning the necessary upgrade to a secure version. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of implementing proper web application security controls from the initial development phases, as CSRF protection is considered a fundamental security requirement for any web-based application handling user sessions and state-changing operations.