CVE-2015-2559 in Drupal
Summary
by MITRE
Drupal 6.x before 6.35 and 7.x before 7.35 allows remote authenticated users to reset the password of other accounts by leveraging an account with the same password hash as another account and a crafted password reset URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/27/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-2559 represents a critical authentication flaw in Drupal content management systems affecting versions 6.x prior to 6.35 and 7.x prior to 7.35. This weakness stems from improper validation of password reset requests within the Drupal authentication mechanism, creating a scenario where authenticated users can exploit a specific condition to reset passwords for accounts they do not own. The vulnerability specifically targets the password reset functionality that relies on predictable URL generation patterns and hash-based authentication mechanisms. Attackers can leverage accounts with identical password hashes to craft malicious password reset URLs that appear legitimate to the system's validation processes.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a sophisticated manipulation of Drupal's password reset workflow. When a user requests a password reset, the system generates a unique URL containing a hash that serves as a temporary authentication token. However, in affected versions, if two accounts share identical password hashes, an attacker with access to one account can generate a password reset URL that will successfully reset the password of another account sharing the same hash. This flaw operates at the intersection of weak session management and insufficient cryptographic validation within the password reset mechanism. The vulnerability can be classified under CWE-306 as a missing authentication check for password reset functionality, and it aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 related to credential access through social engineering and account manipulation.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-2559 extends beyond simple privilege escalation to potentially enable full account compromise and unauthorized system access. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can gain control over other users' accounts, potentially accessing sensitive data, modifying content, or using compromised accounts for further attacks within the Drupal environment. The vulnerability particularly affects multi-user environments where account management is critical, and it can be especially damaging in scenarios where administrative accounts share password hashes or when users employ weak password policies that result in hash collisions. Organizations using affected Drupal versions face significant risk of unauthorized access and data breaches, as the vulnerability can be exploited by any authenticated user with minimal technical expertise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-2559 require immediate implementation of version upgrades to Drupal 6.35 or 7.35 respectively, which contain the necessary patches addressing the flawed password reset URL generation and validation logic. System administrators should also implement additional security measures including monitoring for unusual password reset activities, enforcing strong password policies to prevent hash collisions, and implementing multi-factor authentication where possible. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper cryptographic practices in web application security, particularly in authentication mechanisms where predictable token generation can lead to exploitation. Organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their Drupal installations to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in related components and ensure that all authentication flows properly validate user permissions and account ownership before executing sensitive operations such as password resets.