CVE-2016-4885 in BaserCMS
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in baserCMS plugin Feed version 3.0.10 and earlier allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/25/2020
The CVE-2016-4885 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw discovered in the baserCMS plugin Feed version 3.0.10 and earlier implementations. This vulnerability resides within the web application's authentication mechanism and specifically targets administrator sessions, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on baserCMS platforms. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to exploit the authentication system through unspecified vectors, potentially enabling unauthorized administrative actions and complete system compromise.
The technical nature of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-forgery token validation within the plugin's request processing logic. When administrators interact with the baserCMS interface, the system should validate that requests originate from legitimate sources and contain appropriate authentication tokens. However, the Feed plugin version 3.0.10 and earlier fails to implement robust CSRF protection measures, making it susceptible to malicious exploitation. This flaw falls under the CWE-352 category, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for Initial Access through valid accounts, as attackers can hijack authenticated administrator sessions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or modification, as it directly compromises administrative privileges and system integrity. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform actions such as creating new administrator accounts, modifying existing user permissions, accessing sensitive data, or even executing arbitrary code within the application environment. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors do not require physical access to the system or knowledge of administrator credentials to exploit this weakness. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations using older baserCMS installations where plugin updates may not have been applied, creating a persistent security risk that could remain undetected for extended periods.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-4885 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the CSRF vulnerability, as this represents the most effective remediation approach. Organizations must ensure that all baserCMS plugins undergo regular security assessments and update procedures to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and output encoding practices, along with the deployment of web application firewalls, can provide additional layers of protection. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of their baserCMS installations to identify any other potentially affected components and establish monitoring procedures to detect unauthorized administrative activities. The implementation of proper session management controls and the enforcement of strict access controls for administrative functions will further reduce the attack surface and enhance overall security posture.