CVE-2015-3624 in Ektron CMS
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in Test/WorkArea/DmsMenu/menuActions/MenuActions.aspx in Ektron Content Management System (CMS) before 9.10 SP1 (Build 9.1.0.184.1.120) allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of content administrators for requests that delete content via a delete action.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/18/2025
The CVE-2015-3624 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within the Ektron Content Management System that fundamentally undermines the security of administrative operations. This vulnerability exists in the MenuActions.aspx page located within the Test/WorkArea/DmsMenu/menuActions directory structure of the CMS platform. The flaw specifically affects versions prior to 9.10 SP1, with the vulnerable build identified as 9.1.0.184.1.120, making it a significant concern for organizations running outdated Ektron installations. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data theft, as it enables attackers to execute destructive operations with administrative privileges, particularly targeting content deletion capabilities.
The technical mechanism of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF tokens or validation mechanisms within the targeted administrative interface. When an authenticated administrator visits a malicious website or clicks on a crafted link, the attacker can leverage the administrator's existing session to submit unauthorized delete requests to the vulnerable MenuActions.aspx endpoint. This occurs because the application fails to verify that requests originate from legitimate administrative interfaces rather than malicious third-party sites. The vulnerability operates under the CWE-352 classification as a classic cross-site request forgery, where the application does not adequately validate the source of requests, allowing attackers to manipulate administrative functions through session hijacking techniques.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, particularly for organizations relying on Ektron CMS for content management. Attackers can exploit this flaw to delete critical content, potentially causing significant business disruption and data loss. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require local access or credentials to exploit the flaw, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrators may browse untrusted websites. The administrative privilege escalation aspect of this vulnerability means that content deletion operations can be performed without the administrator's knowledge or consent, effectively allowing attackers to compromise the integrity of the content management system. This type of attack aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing attachments and T1078 for valid accounts usage, as the attacker leverages existing administrative sessions to perform unauthorized operations.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patch for Ektron CMS 9.10 SP1, which addresses the missing CSRF protection mechanisms. Network segmentation and monitoring of administrative interfaces can help detect anomalous deletion patterns, while implementing proper anti-CSRF tokens in all administrative endpoints should be prioritized. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing comprehensive security controls around administrative interfaces. Security teams should also consider implementing additional layers of protection such as multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts and regular security assessments of content management systems to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in the future.