CVE-2015-7317 in Kupu
Summary
by MITRE
Kupu 3.3.0 through 3.3.6, 4.0.0 through 4.0.10, 4.1.0 through 4.1.6, and 4.2.0 through 4.2.7 allows remote authenticated users to edit Kupu settings.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/19/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-7317 affects the Kupu web content management system across multiple version ranges, creating a significant security risk for authenticated users. This issue represents a privilege escalation flaw that allows attackers who have already gained authentication credentials to manipulate system settings, potentially compromising the integrity and confidentiality of the web application. The vulnerability exists within the authorization mechanisms of Kupu, specifically in how the system handles user permissions and access controls for administrative functions. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can modify critical configuration parameters that govern the application's behavior, which may include security settings, user management options, and content handling rules.
The technical flaw stems from insufficient input validation and access control checks within the Kupu administration interface. When authenticated users attempt to edit system settings, the application fails to properly verify whether the requesting user possesses the necessary privileges for such modifications. This weakness creates a path for authenticated attackers to bypass normal access controls and gain unauthorized access to administrative functions that should be restricted to privileged users only. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the authorization level rather than the authentication level, meaning that even legitimate users with valid credentials can exploit this flaw to escalate their privileges within the system.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses serious risks to organizations relying on Kupu for content management. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially modify security configurations, disable logging mechanisms, alter user permissions, or change system behavior in ways that could lead to further compromise. The impact extends beyond simple configuration changes, as these modifications could create persistent backdoors or weaken the overall security posture of the web application. The vulnerability affects multiple version ranges, indicating a prolonged period during which the flaw existed without proper remediation, suggesting that organizations may have been exposed to this risk for extended periods.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of Kupu where available, implementing network segmentation to limit access to administrative interfaces, and deploying additional monitoring for unusual administrative activities. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues in software systems, and could be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting. Security teams should also consider implementing role-based access controls and regular security audits to detect unauthorized configuration changes. Given the nature of this vulnerability, it is crucial to conduct thorough penetration testing to identify if any attackers have already exploited this weakness within the organization's environment.