CVE-2015-8707 in Magento CE
Summary
by MITRE
Password reset tokens in Magento CE before 1.9.2.2, and Magento EE before 1.14.2.2 are passed via a GET request and not canceled after use, which allows remote attackers to obtain user passwords via a crafted external service with access to the referrer field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/19/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-8707 represents a critical security flaw in Magento e-commerce platforms that affects both Community Edition versions prior to 1.9.2.2 and Enterprise Edition versions prior to 1.14.2.2. This weakness stems from improper handling of password reset functionality within the web application's authentication mechanism. The flaw specifically manifests in how password reset tokens are transmitted and managed during the user recovery process, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by remote attackers to gain unauthorized access to user accounts.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the transmission of password reset tokens through HTTP GET requests rather than secure POST methods. This design decision creates a fundamental security risk because GET parameters are inherently exposed in browser history, server logs, and referrer headers that are automatically sent by web browsers when navigating between pages. The tokens remain valid and reusable even after being consumed, failing to implement proper token invalidation mechanisms that should occur upon successful password reset or after a predetermined time window. This behavior directly violates security best practices for session management and credential recovery processes.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant attack surface that allows remote adversaries to exploit the weakness through crafted external service requests. Attackers can leverage access to the HTTP referrer field to capture and reuse valid password reset tokens, effectively bypassing the intended security controls designed to protect user accounts. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires minimal technical expertise to execute and can be automated, potentially allowing for large-scale account compromise across multiple user bases. This vulnerability essentially transforms the password reset functionality from a security feature into a potential attack vector that undermines the entire authentication system.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple account compromise as it can lead to broader security breaches within affected systems. When attackers successfully exploit this weakness, they gain unauthorized access to user accounts which may contain sensitive personal information, financial data, and transaction records. The vulnerability also creates potential for credential stuffing attacks where compromised passwords can be used to access other services where users may have reused credentials. From a compliance standpoint, this weakness could result in violations of data protection regulations such as gdpr and pci dss due to inadequate protection of user credentials and personal information.
Security professionals should address this vulnerability through immediate patching of affected Magento installations to the minimum recommended versions that contain the security fixes. Additionally, organizations should implement monitoring for suspicious password reset activities and establish proper token lifecycle management within their authentication systems. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-384, which addresses session management flaws, and represents a specific instance of the broader ATT&CK technique T1566 related to credential access through social engineering and exploitation of authentication mechanisms. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as rate limiting for password reset requests and enhanced monitoring of referrer header patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts.