CVE-2016-4042 in Plone
Summary
by MITRE
Plone 3.3 through 5.1a1 allows remote attackers to obtain information about the ID of sensitive content via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/17/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-4042 affects Plone content management systems across versions 3.3 through 5.1a1, representing a significant information disclosure weakness that could enable remote attackers to discover sensitive content identifiers. This vulnerability falls under the broader category of information disclosure flaws, which are classified as CWE-200 in the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, and specifically relates to improper information flow control mechanisms within the application's security architecture. The issue manifests through unspecified vectors that allow attackers to obtain sensitive content IDs without proper authorization, potentially exposing critical system information that could aid in subsequent attack phases.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate access control mechanisms within Plone's content management infrastructure, where the system fails to properly validate and restrict access to sensitive content identifiers. This vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited remotely, making it particularly dangerous as it requires no local system access or elevated privileges. The unspecified vectors suggest that the flaw exists across multiple pathways within the system's information flow, potentially including API endpoints, administrative interfaces, or content retrieval mechanisms that do not adequately verify user permissions before exposing content identifiers. Attackers can leverage this weakness to map the content structure of the system, potentially identifying high-value targets such as private documents, administrative resources, or sensitive configuration data.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-4042 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the exposure of content IDs can facilitate more sophisticated attacks within the attack chain defined by MITRE ATT&CK framework. When attackers obtain sensitive content identifiers, they can use this intelligence to craft targeted attacks against specific resources, potentially leading to privilege escalation, data exfiltration, or further system compromise. The vulnerability essentially provides attackers with a reconnaissance tool that can reveal the internal structure of the Plone system, enabling them to identify which content items might contain particularly sensitive information or which administrative functions might be accessible through the exposed identifiers. This reconnaissance capability significantly reduces the attack surface complexity for threat actors who can then focus their efforts on the most promising targets within the system.
Organizations utilizing affected Plone versions should implement immediate mitigations including thorough access control reviews, implementation of proper authentication mechanisms, and deployment of web application firewalls to monitor and restrict access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper information flow control and access validation within content management systems, as highlighted by security best practices outlined in NIST SP 800-53 and ISO/IEC 27001 standards. Additionally, system administrators should conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify similar information disclosure vulnerabilities within their Plone installations and ensure that all content access controls are properly enforced. The remediation approach should include upgrading to patched versions of Plone where available, implementing proper input validation, and establishing monitoring procedures to detect anomalous access patterns that could indicate exploitation of this or similar vulnerabilities.