CVE-2017-17930 in Professional Service Script
Summary
by MITRE
PHP Scripts Mall Professional Service Script has CSRF via admin/general_settingupd.php, as demonstrated by modifying a setting in the user panel.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/14/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17930 affects the PHP Scripts Mall Professional Service Script, a web application framework that likely serves as a content management system or service platform for businesses. This particular flaw resides within the administrative interface, specifically in the file admin/general_settingupd.php, which handles updates to general settings within the application. The vulnerability manifests as a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attack vector that allows unauthorized users to manipulate administrative settings without proper authentication, potentially compromising the entire system's integrity and security posture. The attack surface is particularly concerning because it allows an attacker to modify critical system configurations through the user panel, bypassing normal access controls that should be enforced at the administrative level.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF tokens or validation mechanisms within the administrative update endpoint. When legitimate administrators perform actions such as modifying system settings, the application fails to verify that the request originates from an authenticated administrative session. This design flaw enables attackers to craft malicious requests that, when executed by an authenticated user, can silently modify critical configuration parameters. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the administrative level, meaning that successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise, including unauthorized access to sensitive data, modification of user accounts, or alteration of core system functionality. The attack requires minimal privileges and can be executed through social engineering techniques where users are tricked into visiting malicious websites or clicking on compromised links while logged into the administrative interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple configuration changes, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges, modify user permissions, or establish persistent backdoors within the system. An attacker could modify critical parameters such as database connection strings, administrative credentials, or system-wide security settings that would significantly weaken the application's defenses. The vulnerability also presents a risk of data integrity compromise, as unauthorized modifications to system settings could lead to service disruption or data corruption. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability could result in violations of security standards such as those outlined in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, particularly in areas related to access control and system integrity. The impact is further amplified by the fact that the vulnerability can be exploited through the user panel, meaning that attackers don't need direct access to administrative interfaces but can leverage existing user sessions to perform malicious actions.
Mitigation strategies for this CSRF vulnerability should focus on implementing robust anti-CSRF protection mechanisms within the application. The most effective approach involves incorporating unique, unpredictable tokens for each user session that must be validated before any administrative action is processed. These tokens should be generated using cryptographically secure random number generators and validated against the user's current session state. The application should also implement proper input validation and authentication checks at all administrative endpoints, ensuring that only authorized users can access and modify system settings. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers and SameSite cookies can provide additional layers of protection against CSRF attacks. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in their web applications, as this type of flaw is commonly found in legacy systems that haven't been updated with modern security practices. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege that should be enforced in all administrative interfaces. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence, as attackers can use the compromised administrative functionality to maintain access and further compromise the system.