CVE-2016-1189 in Garoon
Summary
by MITRE
Cybozu Garoon 3.x and 4.x before 4.2.1 allows remote authenticated users to bypass intended restrictions on reading, creating, or modifying a portlet via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/09/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-1189 affects Cybozu Garoon versions 3.x and 4.x prior to 4.2.1, representing a significant authorization bypass flaw that undermines the security controls designed to protect portlet access within the application. This issue specifically targets the permission system that governs user interactions with portlets, which are modular components that display dynamic content within the Garoon portal environment. The vulnerability allows authenticated users to perform actions they should not be authorized to execute, effectively circumventing the intended access controls that separate different user roles and privileges.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of user permissions when accessing portlet functionality, creating an authorization gap that malicious actors can exploit. This flaw manifests as an insufficient authorization check, which maps to CWE-285 within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, specifically addressing improper authorization scenarios in software applications. The vulnerability operates at the application layer where user requests are processed, making it particularly dangerous as it requires only authentication credentials to exploit rather than additional privileges or complex attack vectors.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses substantial risks to organizations relying on Cybozu Garoon for collaborative work environments and document management. The ability to bypass reading, creating, or modifying portlet restrictions means that authenticated users could potentially access confidential information, modify critical system components, or disrupt workflow processes. This unauthorized access capability directly impacts data integrity, confidentiality, and availability, as users might gain access to portlets containing sensitive business data or administrative functions they should not possess. The vulnerability essentially allows for privilege escalation within the constrained access control model of the application, creating potential for data leakage and system compromise.
The security implications extend beyond simple access control violations, as this vulnerability could enable attackers to manipulate the portal environment in ways that affect multiple users and services. Organizations utilizing Garoon for enterprise collaboration might experience unauthorized modifications to shared workspaces, unauthorized data exposure through portlet access, or potential disruption of business processes that depend on proper access controls. The impact is particularly concerning given that the vulnerability affects multiple versions of the software, suggesting a systemic flaw in the authorization implementation that requires comprehensive patching across affected deployments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-1189 primarily involve applying the vendor-provided security patch that addresses the authorization bypass issue in Garoon versions 4.2.1 and later. Organizations should also implement additional security measures including regular access control reviews, monitoring for unauthorized portlet access attempts, and ensuring proper user role assignments within the application. Network segmentation and additional authentication layers can provide defense-in-depth approaches to limit the potential impact if exploitation occurs. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for valid accounts and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation highlights the importance of maintaining proper access controls and monitoring for unusual access patterns. Security teams should also consider implementing automated vulnerability scanning to identify unpatched instances of the software and establish incident response procedures for potential exploitation attempts.