CVE-2016-8901 in b2evolution
Summary
by MITRE
b2evolution 6.7.6 suffer from an Object Injection vulnerability in /htsrv/call_plugin.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/24/2023
The CVE-2016-8901 vulnerability represents a critical object injection flaw within the b2evolution content management system version 6.7.6 specifically affecting the htsrv/call_plugin.php endpoint. This vulnerability falls under the broader category of insecure deserialization issues that have been extensively documented in cybersecurity frameworks including CWE-502 which specifically addresses "Deserialization of Untrusted Data" as a fundamental weakness in software design. The flaw occurs when the application processes user-supplied input through the call_plugin.php script without adequate sanitization or validation mechanisms, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject arbitrary objects into the application's execution environment.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability hinges on the application's improper handling of serialized data structures within the plugin calling mechanism. When b2evolution processes requests through the htsrv/call_plugin.php file, it accepts serialized data from external sources that should be validated before deserialization occurs. Attackers can craft malicious serialized objects containing malicious payloads that, when processed by the vulnerable application, execute arbitrary code on the server. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can lead to complete system compromise, allowing attackers to execute commands, access sensitive data, or establish persistent backdoors within the affected environment.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-8901 extends beyond simple code execution to encompass significant threats to system integrity and data confidentiality. Organizations running vulnerable b2evolution installations face potential unauthorized access to their web applications, which could result in data breaches, service disruption, and regulatory compliance violations. The vulnerability's exploitation aligns with tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the "Command and Control" and "Execution" phases, where adversaries establish persistent access through code injection techniques. Given that b2evolution is a web-based content management system, the attack surface includes not only the primary application but also any associated databases, user accounts, and system resources that the application can access through its normal operational procedures.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-8901 should prioritize immediate patching of the vulnerable b2evolution version 6.7.6 to the latest available release that addresses the object injection vulnerability. Security teams should implement input validation and sanitization measures at all entry points where serialized data is processed, ensuring that any external data undergoes strict validation before deserialization occurs. Network-based mitigations including web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of protection by monitoring for suspicious patterns in traffic to the affected endpoint. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security assessments of their web applications to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components and establish robust monitoring procedures to detect potential exploitation attempts. The remediation process must include thorough testing of patched applications to ensure that security improvements do not introduce regressions in functionality while maintaining compliance with industry standards such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks.