CVE-2015-5491 in Dynamic Display Block Module
Summary
by MITRE
The Dynamic display block module 7.x-1.x before 7.x-1.1 for Drupal allows remote authenticated users to bypass intended access restrictions and read sensitive titles by leveraging the "administer ddblock" permission.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/18/2017
The vulnerability CVE-2015-5491 affects the Dynamic display block module version 7.x-1.x before 7.x-1.1 in Drupal content management systems. This represents a significant access control flaw that undermines the security model of the platform. The issue stems from improper permission validation within the module's code implementation, specifically failing to adequately verify user privileges when accessing sensitive content. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects authenticated users who possess the "administer ddblock" permission, which should typically grant administrative capabilities but inadvertently creates an avenue for privilege escalation.
The technical flaw manifests in the module's failure to properly enforce access restrictions when processing requests for sensitive data. When authenticated users with the designated permission attempt to access certain administrative functions, the system does not correctly validate whether these users should have access to read sensitive titles or other protected information. This creates a situation where users can bypass intended security boundaries through legitimate administrative functions. The vulnerability operates at the application level and specifically impacts the module's data retrieval mechanisms, allowing unauthorized access to information that should remain restricted to higher privilege users.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables attackers to gain access to sensitive information that might include confidential titles, content metadata, or other proprietary data within the Drupal environment. The attack vector requires the adversary to already possess valid credentials and the specific "administer ddblock" permission, making it less severe than a full authentication bypass but still highly problematic. The vulnerability can lead to information disclosure, potentially exposing intellectual property, internal project names, or other sensitive data that could be exploited for further attacks. This type of access restriction bypass can be particularly damaging in enterprise environments where content confidentiality is paramount.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control in software systems, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege. It also corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting, as attackers might exploit this weakness to escalate their privileges or gather additional information. Organizations should immediately apply the patch released in version 7.x-1.1 of the Dynamic display block module to remediate this vulnerability. Additionally, security teams should conduct comprehensive audits of all installed Drupal modules to identify similar access control issues, implement proper monitoring for unauthorized access attempts, and ensure that administrative permissions are strictly controlled and regularly reviewed. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify and address similar weaknesses in other components of the Drupal ecosystem.