CVE-2017-16631 in SapphireIMS
Summary
by MITRE • 08/12/2021
In SapphireIMS 4097_1, a guest user is able to change the password of an administrative user by utilizing an Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR) in the "Account Password Reset" functionality.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/17/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-16631 represents a critical security flaw within the SapphireIMS 4097_1 application that allows unauthorized guest users to manipulate administrative accounts through an insecure direct object reference vulnerability. This issue specifically manifests within the account password reset functionality, where the application fails to properly validate user permissions when processing password change requests. The flaw enables attackers to exploit the system's lack of proper access controls by directly manipulating object references, thereby bypassing normal authentication and authorization mechanisms that should protect administrative accounts from unauthorized modifications.
This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-639, which specifically addresses Insecure Direct Object Reference flaws that occur when an application provides direct access to objects based on user-supplied input without proper authorization checks. The attack vector leverages the application's insufficient validation of user roles and permissions, allowing a guest user to construct malicious requests targeting administrative user accounts. The technical implementation appears to rely on predictable object identifiers or direct references to user accounts in the password reset process, which should instead be protected by robust access control mechanisms that verify the requesting user's authorization level before permitting any modifications to other user accounts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it provides attackers with the capability to completely compromise administrative accounts within the SapphireIMS system. Once an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they gain full administrative privileges and can manipulate all system resources, access sensitive data, modify user permissions, and potentially establish persistent backdoors within the application environment. This compromise affects the fundamental integrity and confidentiality of the system, as administrative accounts typically possess the highest level of privileges and control over the application's core functionality. The vulnerability also undermines the principle of least privilege, as guest users should not have the ability to modify accounts that belong to higher-privileged users.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address the core issue of insufficient access control validation within the password reset functionality. Organizations should implement proper authorization checks that verify the requesting user's identity and permissions before allowing any modifications to user accounts, particularly those with elevated privileges. The application should enforce role-based access controls that ensure only authorized users can initiate password resets for specific accounts, and all direct object references should be validated against the authenticated user's permissions. Additionally, implementing proper input validation, session management, and logging mechanisms will help detect and prevent unauthorized access attempts. Security patches should be applied immediately to address the IDOR vulnerability, and the system should be configured to use secure random identifiers for user objects rather than predictable sequential numbers that could be exploited by attackers. The remediation process should also include comprehensive security testing to ensure that similar vulnerabilities do not exist in other parts of the application that might allow unauthorized access to administrative resources. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of implementing proper access controls and authorization mechanisms in web applications, particularly those handling sensitive user data and administrative functions.