CVE-2016-4469 in Archiva
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in Apache Archiva 1.3.9 and earlier allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that (1) add new repository proxy connectors via the token parameter to admin/addProxyConnector_commit.action, (2) new repositories via the token parameter to admin/addRepository_commit.action, (3) edit existing repositories via the token parameter to admin/editRepository_commit.action, (4) add legacy artifact paths via the token parameter to admin/addLegacyArtifactPath_commit.action, (5) change the organizational appearance via the token parameter to admin/saveAppearance.action, or (6) upload new artifacts via the token parameter to upload_submit.action.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/01/2024
Apache Archiva version 1.3.9 and earlier contains multiple cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities that enable remote attackers to hijack administrator sessions and perform unauthorized administrative actions. These vulnerabilities arise from the application's failure to properly validate and enforce anti-CSRF tokens for critical administrative operations, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this artifact management platform. The affected endpoints include administrative functions such as adding repository proxy connectors, creating new repositories, editing existing repositories, managing legacy artifact paths, modifying organizational appearance settings, and uploading new artifacts.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's insufficient implementation of CSRF protection mechanisms specifically targeting the token parameter validation. Attackers can exploit these vulnerabilities by crafting malicious web pages or email attachments that automatically submit requests to the vulnerable Archiva endpoints when a logged-in administrator visits the malicious content. The token parameter, which should serve as a unique identifier to verify legitimate requests, is either absent or improperly validated, allowing unauthorized operations to proceed with administrative privileges. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-352, which defines Cross-Site Request Forgery as a weakness where web applications fail to validate that requests originate from legitimate sources.
The operational impact of these vulnerabilities is severe and far-reaching for organizations using Apache Archiva. An attacker who successfully exploits these CSRF flaws can gain complete administrative control over the artifact repository, potentially leading to data compromise, unauthorized artifact uploads, repository modifications, and complete system subversion. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no authentication from the attacker beyond the ability to deliver malicious content to an authenticated administrator. Once exploited, attackers can add malicious proxy connectors to access external repositories, modify repository configurations to redirect artifact downloads, upload harmful artifacts that could compromise build processes, or alter the repository's appearance to hide malicious activities. This could result in supply chain attacks where compromised artifacts are distributed to unsuspecting developers and organizations.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to Apache Archiva versions 2.0.0 or later where these CSRF vulnerabilities have been addressed through proper token validation mechanisms. The mitigation strategy should include implementing robust anti-CSRF token validation across all administrative endpoints, ensuring that each request contains a valid, unique token that is tied to the user session. Network administrators should also consider implementing additional security controls such as web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious request patterns, monitoring for unauthorized administrative activities, and enforcing strict access controls for the Archiva administration interface. Security teams should conduct regular vulnerability assessments of their artifact management systems and ensure that all administrative functions properly implement CSRF protection measures as outlined in the OWASP CSRF Prevention Cheat Sheet. The ATT&CK framework categorizes these vulnerabilities under T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application, highlighting the importance of securing publicly accessible administrative interfaces through proper input validation and session management controls.