CVE-2015-2203 in Evergreen
Summary
by MITRE
Evergreen 2.5.9, 2.6.7, and 2.7.4 allows remote authenticated users with STAFF_LOGIN permission to obtain sensitive settings history information by leveraging listing of open-ils.pcrud as a controller in the IDL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/03/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-2203 affects Evergreen ILS versions 2.5.9, 2.6.7, and 2.7.4, representing a significant information disclosure flaw that enables authenticated attackers with STAFF_LOGIN permissions to access sensitive system configuration history data. This vulnerability resides within the system's API endpoint handling mechanism, specifically through the open-ils.pcrud controller which serves as an interface for performing database operations. The flaw stems from inadequate access control enforcement when processing requests through this particular controller, allowing unauthorized data exposure through improper privilege escalation techniques.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of the open-ils.pcrud controller which is designed to provide programmatic access to the system's internal data structures through the IDL (Interface Definition Language) framework. When authenticated users with STAFF_LOGIN privileges make requests through this controller, the system fails to properly validate or restrict access to sensitive settings history information that should typically be restricted to higher-privileged administrative roles. This misconfiguration creates an information disclosure channel that bypasses normal access control mechanisms and exposes historical configuration data that could reveal system architecture, deployment patterns, and operational details.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure as it provides attackers with valuable intelligence about the target system's configuration history and operational practices. The exposed settings history information may include details about system modifications, user access patterns, and configuration changes that could aid in planning more sophisticated attacks. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses information disclosure issues, and represents a classic case of insufficient access control enforcement that violates fundamental security principles. The exposure of historical settings data could reveal system vulnerabilities, security misconfigurations, and operational weaknesses that would otherwise remain hidden from unauthorized users.
Attackers leveraging this vulnerability could potentially use the disclosed settings history information to identify system weaknesses, map out internal structures, and plan targeted attacks against the organization's library management infrastructure. The attack vector requires only authentication with STAFF_LOGIN privileges, which may be obtained through various means including credential theft, social engineering, or insider threats. This vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1213.002, which covers data from information repositories, specifically highlighting how attackers can exploit system interfaces to access sensitive operational data. Organizations should implement proper access control validation for all API endpoints, particularly those handling sensitive historical data, and ensure that privilege levels are strictly enforced to prevent unauthorized data exposure.
The mitigation strategy for this vulnerability involves implementing proper access control validation within the open-ils.pcrud controller to ensure that requests for sensitive settings history information are properly authenticated and authorized. System administrators should review and enforce strict privilege boundaries for all API endpoints, ensuring that users with STAFF_LOGIN permissions cannot access data beyond their designated scope. Regular security audits of API interfaces and access control mechanisms should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities. Additionally, implementing comprehensive logging and monitoring of API access patterns can help detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing role-based access control mechanisms that enforce the principle of least privilege and ensure that system interfaces properly validate user permissions before returning sensitive information.