CVE-2015-7228 in RESTful Module
Summary
by MITRE
The RESTful module 7.x-1.x before 7.x-1.3 for Drupal does not properly cache pages of authenticated users when using non-cookie authentication providers, which allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/23/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-7228 affects the RESTful module version 7.x-1.x before 7.x-1.3 in the Drupal content management system. This issue represents a critical security flaw that undermines the module's ability to properly implement caching mechanisms for authenticated user sessions. The vulnerability specifically manifests when non-cookie authentication providers are utilized, creating a scenario where sensitive information can be accessed by unauthorized remote attackers through unspecified attack vectors that exploit the flawed caching implementation.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper handling of cache keys and session management within the RESTful module's authentication flow. When authenticated users access resources through non-cookie authentication methods such as HTTP Basic Authentication or API keys, the module fails to generate unique cache identifiers that account for the authentication context. This results in cached responses being shared across different authenticated sessions, effectively allowing attackers to access content that should be restricted to specific users. The flaw operates at the intersection of cache management and authentication security controls, creating a bypass mechanism that violates fundamental security principles of access control and information separation.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for organizations using Drupal with the RESTful module. Attackers can potentially access sensitive user data, personal information, and restricted content that should only be available to authenticated users with specific permissions. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality and integrity of data within the system, as cached responses containing privileged information may be served to unauthorized users. This type of information disclosure can lead to downstream consequences including identity theft, data breaches, and compliance violations, particularly in environments handling sensitive personal or corporate data. The unspecified vectors suggest that multiple attack scenarios may be possible, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous as defenders cannot easily predict or fully mitigate all potential exploitation paths.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses "Information Exposure," and represents a failure in proper access control implementation. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this weakness maps to techniques involving credential access and privilege escalation through improper access control mechanisms. The vulnerability also relates to CWE-352, "Cross-Site Request Forgery," and CWE-287, "Improper Authentication," as it demonstrates weaknesses in how authentication contexts are handled within the caching system. Organizations should immediately implement the vendor-provided patch for the RESTful module to version 7.x-1.3 or later, which addresses the caching logic and ensures proper isolation of authenticated user sessions. Additionally, system administrators should review their authentication configurations to minimize reliance on non-cookie authentication methods where possible, and implement proper monitoring to detect unauthorized access patterns. Network segmentation and additional authentication layers should be considered as defensive measures to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities in the event of exploitation.