CVE-2015-7984 in Groupware
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in Horde before 5.2.8, Horde Groupware before 5.2.11, and Horde Groupware Webmail Edition before 5.2.11 allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that execute arbitrary (1) commands via the cmd parameter to admin/cmdshell.php, (2) SQL queries via the sql parameter to admin/sqlshell.php, or (3) PHP code via the php parameter to admin/phpshell.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/22/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-7984 represents a critical cross-site request forgery weakness affecting multiple versions of the Horde web application framework and its associated groupware products. This vulnerability exists within the administrative interfaces of Horde Groupware and Horde Groupware Webmail Edition, specifically in three distinct shell execution endpoints that are accessible through the admin directory. The flaw allows remote attackers to manipulate authenticated administrative sessions without requiring knowledge of valid credentials, making it particularly dangerous for systems where administrative access is required for system configuration and maintenance tasks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the absence of proper CSRF protection mechanisms within the administrative shell interfaces. Attackers can construct malicious web pages or exploit existing vulnerabilities in web applications to trick authenticated administrators into executing unintended commands through the cmd parameter in cmdshell.php, the sql parameter in sqlshell.php, or the php parameter in phpshell.php. These parameters directly interface with system command execution, SQL query processing, and PHP code evaluation functions respectively, creating a pathway for arbitrary code execution at the administrative level. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 for command and scripting interpreter execution, as well as T1041 for data compression and T1078 for valid accounts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it provides attackers with administrative privileges that can be leveraged to compromise entire systems. Successful exploitation allows attackers to execute arbitrary system commands, run SQL queries against database backends, and execute PHP code directly on the server, potentially leading to complete system compromise. Administrators who visit malicious websites or are tricked into clicking on compromised links while logged into their Horde administration interfaces become unwitting participants in these attacks. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where administrative access is frequently used or where administrators work in environments with less strict security controls, as it requires only a single successful CSRF attack to gain elevated privileges.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately upgrade to the patched versions of Horde Groupware (5.2.11) and Horde Groupware Webmail Edition (5.2.11), as well as Horde (5.2.8). Security measures should include implementing proper CSRF token validation mechanisms, which are essential for protecting administrative interfaces from unauthorized command execution. Network segmentation and access controls should be reviewed to limit exposure of administrative interfaces to trusted networks only. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual command execution patterns or unauthorized administrative access attempts. The implementation of web application firewalls and security headers can provide additional layers of protection against such attacks, while regular security audits should verify that CSRF protections are properly implemented across all administrative interfaces. Organizations should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts and establishing regular security training for administrators to recognize potential social engineering attacks that could exploit this vulnerability.