CVE-2015-8487 in Office
Summary
by MITRE
Cybozu Office 9.0.0 through 10.3 allows remote attackers to discover CSRF tokens via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-8488.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/30/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-8487 affects Cybozu Office versions 9.0.0 through 10.3, representing a significant security flaw in the web application's cross-site request forgery protection mechanisms. This issue falls under the broader category of web application security vulnerabilities that compromise the integrity of anti-CSRF measures designed to prevent unauthorized actions. The vulnerability specifically enables remote attackers to discover CSRF tokens through unspecified vectors, creating a pathway for malicious actors to bypass critical security controls that should protect against unauthorized transactions and operations.
The technical flaw manifests in the improper handling or exposure of CSRF tokens within the application's response mechanisms. These tokens are typically generated to validate that requests originate from legitimate users and are intended to prevent attackers from executing unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users. When CSRF tokens become discoverable through unspecified vectors, attackers can extract these tokens and subsequently forge requests that appear legitimate to the application's security systems. This vulnerability operates at the application layer and represents a weakness in the application's session management and request validation processes, particularly affecting the anti-CSRF token generation and protection mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it fundamentally undermines the security controls designed to protect user sessions and prevent unauthorized modifications. Attackers can leverage this weakness to perform actions such as changing user passwords, modifying account settings, or executing transactions without proper authorization. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited across different user sessions and may allow for escalation of privileges or session hijacking attacks. The unspecified vectors through which tokens are discovered suggest potential weaknesses in the application's response handling, possibly including improper token placement in HTML responses, AJAX calls, or other client-side interactions that expose these security elements.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery, and demonstrates the importance of proper token handling and validation in web applications. The issue also relates to ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers Phishing with Social Engineering, as attackers can use the discovered tokens to craft more convincing phishing attacks or automated exploitation tools. Organizations using affected versions of Cybozu Office face significant risk of unauthorized access and data manipulation, particularly in environments where users may be targeted through social engineering or automated attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper CSRF token generation and validation mechanisms that ensure tokens are not exposed through unintended channels. Security measures should include regular updates to the Cybozu Office application to the latest patched versions, implementation of proper token handling in response mechanisms, and enhanced monitoring of application behavior for unauthorized access attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as request validation, rate limiting, and enhanced session management to reduce the attack surface. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and proper application security testing to prevent exploitation of similar flaws in web applications.