CVE-2015-4361 in Registration Codes Module
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the Registration codes module before 6.x-1.6 for Drupal allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that delete registration codes via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/07/2019
The CVE-2015-4361 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within the Registration codes module for Drupal versions prior to 6.x-1.6. This vulnerability exposes administrative functions to unauthorized manipulation by malicious actors who can exploit the lack of proper authentication verification mechanisms. The flaw specifically affects the deletion functionality of registration codes, which are typically used for managing user access and permissions within Drupal-based systems. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of request origins and lack of anti-CSRF token implementation, allowing attackers to craft malicious requests that appear to originate from legitimate administrative sessions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of HTTP requests that target the registration codes deletion endpoint. Attackers can construct specially crafted web pages or emails containing hidden forms that automatically submit deletion requests to the vulnerable Drupal installation when a logged-in administrator visits the malicious content. This attack vector operates under the principle that the application does not adequately verify the authenticity of requests originating from the administrative interface, relying instead on session-based authentication alone without additional CSRF protection measures. The vulnerability falls under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in software applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data deletion, as it compromises the integrity of user access controls within Drupal installations. When administrators delete registration codes through compromised sessions, attackers can effectively remove legitimate access credentials, potentially disrupting system functionality and creating unauthorized access points. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations relying on Drupal for membership management, user registration, or access control systems where registration codes serve as critical authentication mechanisms. The attack requires minimal technical expertise to execute, making it a significant threat to Drupal installations that have not been updated to version 6.x-1.6 or later.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement the recommended security patches provided by the Drupal security team to address the CSRF implementation flaw. The mitigation strategy involves updating the Registration codes module to version 6.x-1.6 or higher, which includes proper anti-CSRF token validation and request origin verification. Additionally, administrators should review their system configurations to ensure that all administrative functions implement robust authentication verification mechanisms and that session management practices align with industry standards. Security monitoring should include detection of unauthorized deletion activities within registration code systems, while network administrators should consider implementing additional access controls and web application firewalls to prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and proper input validation in web applications, as highlighted by ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers credential access through various means including session hijacking and authentication manipulation.