CVE-2015-2680 in GeniXCMS
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in MetalGenix GeniXCMS before 0.0.2 allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that add an administrator account via a request in the users page to gxadmin/index.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/20/2025
The CVE-2015-2680 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw in MetalGenix GeniXCMS versions prior to 0.0.2, exposing the system to unauthorized administrative account creation through malicious web requests. This vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the authentication mechanisms of the content management system, creating a significant risk for organizations relying on this platform for their web presence. The flaw exists within the administrative interface where the gxadmin/index.php endpoint fails to properly validate the origin of requests attempting to add new administrator accounts. This weakness allows remote attackers to craft malicious requests that appear to originate from legitimate administrative sessions, effectively bypassing the authentication controls designed to protect sensitive administrative functions.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF tokens or origin validation mechanisms within the GeniXCMS administrative user management functionality. When administrators navigate to the users page and attempt to add new administrator accounts through the gxadmin/index.php endpoint, the system does not verify that the request originates from the legitimate administrative interface. This design flaw enables attackers to exploit the trust relationship between the web application and authenticated administrators, allowing them to execute administrative actions without possessing valid credentials. The vulnerability specifically targets the administrative account creation process, making it particularly dangerous as it could lead to complete system compromise by granting unauthorized users administrative privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it fundamentally undermines the security model of the GeniXCMS platform. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can create new administrator accounts with full access rights to the system, potentially leading to data breaches, system manipulation, and complete unauthorized control over the web application. The attack vector requires minimal technical expertise, as it leverages existing web browser capabilities to forge requests that appear legitimate to the application server. This vulnerability creates a persistent threat that could remain undetected for extended periods, as the malicious account creation would appear to originate from legitimate administrative activities. Organizations using affected versions of GeniXCMS face significant risk of unauthorized access and potential data compromise, particularly in environments where administrative privileges are not adequately protected.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in web applications, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1548.001 for Privilege Escalation through the creation of new administrative accounts. Organizations should immediately upgrade to GeniXCMS version 0.0.2 or later to remediate this vulnerability, as no effective workarounds exist for this particular flaw. The recommended mitigation strategy involves implementing robust anti-CSRF token mechanisms, enforcing strict origin validation for administrative requests, and conducting regular security assessments of web applications. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious administrative account creation activities to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper input validation and authentication mechanisms in web applications, particularly those handling sensitive administrative functions, and serves as a reminder of the critical need for regular security updates and vulnerability assessments in content management systems.