CVE-2015-1585 in Fat Free
Summary
by MITRE
Fat Free CRM before 0.13.6 allows remote attackers to conduct cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks via a request without the authenticity_token, as demonstrated by a crafted HTML page that creates a new administrator account.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/16/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-1585 affects Fat Free CRM versions prior to 0136, representing a critical cross-site request forgery flaw that enables remote attackers to execute unauthorized administrative actions. This vulnerability resides in the web application's insufficient protection against CSRF attacks, where the application fails to properly validate the authenticity token required for form submissions. The flaw allows malicious actors to craft specially designed HTML pages that can trigger administrative actions without proper user consent or authorization, effectively bypassing the application's security controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the absence of proper CSRF protection mechanisms within the Fat Free CRM framework. When users interact with the application, legitimate requests should include an authenticity token that verifies the request originates from an authorized source. However, in vulnerable versions, the application accepts requests that lack this crucial authentication parameter, making it possible for attackers to construct malicious web pages that automatically submit forms to the CRM application. This weakness directly violates the principle of least privilege and fails to implement proper request validation mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows attackers to create new administrator accounts without legitimate user interaction, potentially leading to complete system compromise. Once an attacker successfully exploits this CSRF vulnerability, they can establish persistent access to the CRM system with administrative privileges, enabling them to modify or delete sensitive data, create backdoor accounts, and perform other malicious activities. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no user interaction beyond visiting a malicious webpage, making it an effective method for large-scale attacks against multiple users simultaneously.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in software applications. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation and insufficient session management practices, as outlined in the CWE taxonomy for CSRF vulnerabilities. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to technique T1566, which covers the use of malicious web content to gain initial access to systems, and potentially T1078 for legitimate credential use. The exploitation of this vulnerability requires minimal technical expertise, making it attractive to threat actors across the spectrum of cybersecurity threats.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to Fat Free CRM version 0.13.6 or later, which includes proper CSRF token validation mechanisms. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers, ensuring proper session management, and conducting regular security assessments can help prevent similar vulnerabilities. The fix typically involves enforcing strict validation of authenticity tokens for all administrative actions and implementing double-submit cookie patterns to prevent unauthorized requests from being processed by the application.