CVE-2016-2212 in Magento
Summary
by MITRE
The getOrderByStatusUrlKey function in the Mage_Rss_Helper_Order class in app/code/core/Mage/Rss/Helper/Order.php in Magento Enterprise Edition before 1.14.2.3 and Magento Community Edition before 1.9.2.3 allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive order information via the order_id in a JSON object in the data parameter in an RSS feed request to index.php/rss/order/status.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/25/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-2212 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the Magento e-commerce platform ecosystem. This vulnerability specifically affects the Mage_Rss_Helper_Order class in the Magento core codebase, where the getOrderByStatusUrlKey function fails to properly validate and sanitize input parameters. The flaw exists in both Magento Enterprise Edition versions prior to 1.14.2.3 and Magento Community Edition versions prior to 1.9.2.3, making it a widespread issue across multiple Magento installations. The vulnerability manifests when an attacker crafts a malicious RSS feed request that includes a data parameter containing a JSON object with an order_id field, allowing unauthorized access to sensitive order information through the index.php/rss/order/status endpoint.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the RSS order status functionality. When the getOrderByStatusUrlKey function processes incoming requests, it does not properly verify the authenticity or authorization status of the order_id parameter extracted from the JSON data structure. This creates a path where any remote attacker can construct a malicious request to the RSS feed endpoint and potentially obtain detailed order information including customer data, product details, and transactional metadata. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires no special privileges or authentication to exploit, making it particularly dangerous for online retailers who rely on Magento for their e-commerce operations. This flaw directly maps to CWE-200, which describes insufficient logging or monitoring of security events, and CWE-284, which covers improper access control mechanisms.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-2212 extends far beyond simple information disclosure, creating significant risks for businesses operating Magento platforms. Attackers can systematically harvest order data from vulnerable installations, potentially gaining access to customer personal information, payment details, and business transaction records. This information could be used for identity theft, financial fraud, or targeted social engineering attacks against customers. The vulnerability also poses risks to business continuity and regulatory compliance, as unauthorized access to order information may violate data protection regulations such as GDPR or PCI DSS standards. Organizations may face reputational damage, legal consequences, and financial losses resulting from data breaches facilitated by this vulnerability. The impact is particularly severe for retailers handling sensitive customer information, as the stolen data could be sold on underground markets or used for further attacks against the affected customers or the business itself.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-2212 should focus on immediate patching and access control improvements. Organizations must upgrade to the patched versions of Magento Enterprise Edition 1.14.2.3 or Magento Community Edition 1.9.2.3, which contain the necessary code modifications to properly validate order_id parameters. Additionally, implementing proper access controls through web application firewalls, rate limiting on RSS endpoints, and authentication checks can provide additional defense-in-depth measures. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns in RSS feed requests, particularly those containing unexpected JSON structures or multiple requests for order information. Organizations should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of their Magento installations to identify any other potential information disclosure vulnerabilities. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage and T1005 for data from local system, representing a classic case of insufficient input validation leading to unauthorized data access. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be implemented to ensure ongoing protection against similar vulnerabilities in the Magento platform and its associated ecosystem.