CVE-2016-9285 in Exponent
Summary
by MITRE
framework/modules/addressbook/controllers/addressController.php in Exponent CMS v2.4.0 allows remote attackers to read user information via a modified id number, as demonstrated by address/edit/id/1, related to an "addresses, countries, and regions" issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/03/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-9285 resides within the Exponent CMS version 2.4.0 framework, specifically in the addressbook module's addressController.php file. This flaw represents a classic access control issue that enables unauthorized users to bypass normal authentication and authorization mechanisms to access sensitive user data. The vulnerability manifests through predictable parameter manipulation where attackers can modify the id number in the URL path address/edit/id/1 to access other users' address information, effectively undermining the system's data protection controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and improper access control enforcement within the application's routing mechanism. When users navigate to the address editing interface, the system accepts the id parameter directly from the URL without performing proper authorization checks to verify that the requesting user has legitimate access rights to modify the specified address record. This weakness falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues in software systems. The flaw demonstrates a failure to implement proper role-based access control mechanisms that should validate whether the authenticated user possesses the necessary privileges to access or modify specific data records.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with access to personal address information, country details, and regional data that could be leveraged for identity theft, social engineering attacks, or further exploitation within the compromised system. Attackers can systematically enumerate user accounts by modifying the id parameter values, potentially collecting comprehensive address databases that could be sold on dark web marketplaces or used for targeted phishing campaigns. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1087.001, which covers account discovery through enumeration of system users, and represents a critical security gap that exposes sensitive personal information to unauthorized parties.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include implementing robust input validation mechanisms that sanitize and validate all user-supplied parameters before processing them within the application. The system must enforce proper access control checks at every point where user data is accessed or modified, ensuring that each request is authenticated and authorized against the appropriate user permissions. Developers should implement parameterized queries and use prepared statements to prevent injection attacks while establishing proper session management and user authentication controls. Additionally, the application should employ rate limiting and monitoring mechanisms to detect and prevent automated enumeration attempts. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar access control vulnerabilities across the entire application stack, particularly focusing on areas where user data is retrieved through URL parameters or API endpoints. The fix should also involve implementing proper error handling that does not reveal internal system information or provide clues about valid user identifiers to potential attackers.