CVE-2017-12775 in Question2Answer
Summary
by MITRE
qa-include/qa-install.php in Question2Answer before 1.7.5 allows remote attackers to create multiple user accounts.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/27/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-12775 resides within the Question2Answer platform's installation and configuration components, specifically in the qa-include/qa-install.php file. This represents a critical security flaw that affects versions prior to 1.7.5, where the platform's administrative installation process fails to properly validate user input during account creation operations. The vulnerability manifests as a lack of proper access controls and authentication checks within the installation module, allowing unauthorized remote attackers to exploit the system and create multiple user accounts without proper authorization.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation mechanisms within the installation script that handles user account creation. Attackers can leverage this flaw by sending specially crafted requests to the qa-install.php endpoint, bypassing normal account creation restrictions that should require administrative privileges or proper authentication. This weakness creates a pathway for malicious actors to establish multiple user accounts within the platform, potentially enabling further exploitation through privilege escalation or social engineering attacks. The flaw operates at the application layer and can be exploited remotely without requiring any prior authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous in publicly accessible environments.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-12775 extends beyond simple unauthorized account creation, as it fundamentally compromises the platform's user management security model. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can flood the system with multiple user accounts, potentially leading to resource exhaustion, denial of service conditions, or the establishment of persistent access points within the platform. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-306, which addresses missing authentication for critical functions, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege in security design. The ability to create multiple accounts without proper authorization directly contradicts standard security practices outlined in the OWASP Top Ten, specifically addressing the issue of broken authentication and session management.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of the vendor-provided security patch for Question2Answer versions prior to 1.7.5, which addresses the flawed account creation logic in the installation module. Organizations should also implement network-level controls such as firewall rules that restrict access to installation scripts and administrative endpoints, particularly in production environments. Additional protective measures include implementing rate limiting on account creation requests, monitoring for unusual account creation patterns, and ensuring that installation scripts are not accessible to untrusted users. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the technique of "Account Creation and Delegation" where adversaries establish persistent access through unauthorized account creation, making it essential for security teams to monitor for such activities and implement proper access controls to prevent exploitation.