CVE-2015-5258 in springframework-social
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in springframework-social before 1.1.3.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/23/2024
The CVE-2015-5258 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within the springframework-social library prior to version 1.1.3. This vulnerability resides in the social authentication and authorization framework that enables applications to integrate with various social media platforms such as facebook twitter and google. The flaw specifically affects how the library handles authentication requests and session management during social login processes. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious web pages that trick authenticated users into performing unintended actions on social media platforms without their knowledge or consent. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of request origins and lack of proper anti-forgery token implementation within the library's authentication flow mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability occurs when applications using springframework-social fail to properly validate that incoming authentication requests originate from legitimate sources. The library's authentication endpoints do not adequately verify the referer header or implement robust anti-forgery token mechanisms that would prevent unauthorized requests from being processed successfully. This allows attackers to create malicious web pages that contain hidden forms or javascript code designed to submit authentication requests to the target application's social login endpoints. When an authenticated user visits such a malicious page, their browser automatically submits the forged requests using their existing session cookies, thereby executing unauthorized actions on their behalf. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can lead to unauthorized access to social media accounts, data exfiltration, and potential account takeovers.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-5258 extends beyond simple authentication bypasses to encompass significant security risks for applications that rely on social login functionality. Organizations using affected versions of springframework-social face potential exposure to unauthorized account access, data manipulation, and privacy violations when users interact with malicious websites. The vulnerability affects any application that integrates social authentication features and fails to implement proper CSRF protection mechanisms. This includes web applications, content management systems, and enterprise platforms that leverage social login capabilities. The risk is compounded by the fact that many applications may not be immediately aware of their reliance on vulnerable components, making the attack surface broader than initially apparent. Security incidents resulting from this vulnerability could lead to regulatory compliance violations, reputation damage, and financial losses.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-5258 primarily involve upgrading to springframework-social version 1.1.3 or later, which includes proper CSRF protection mechanisms and enhanced authentication validation. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures such as validating referer headers, implementing robust anti-forgery token systems, and conducting thorough security reviews of all social authentication integrations. The fix addresses the underlying CWE-352 vulnerability category which specifically covers cross-site request forgery conditions. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls, monitoring for suspicious authentication patterns, and conducting regular penetration testing to identify potential exploitation vectors. Additionally, developers should follow secure coding practices that emphasize proper input validation and authentication flow security, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers credential access through social engineering and web application attacks. Organizations should also establish comprehensive vulnerability management processes that include regular dependency updates and security scanning to prevent similar issues from occurring in other components of their software stack.