CVE-2017-17936 in Marketplace Digital Products PHP
Summary
by MITRE
Vanguard Marketplace Digital Products PHP has CSRF via /search.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/18/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17936 affects the Vanguard Marketplace Digital Products PHP platform, specifically exposing a cross-site request forgery flaw within the search functionality. This issue represents a critical security weakness that allows attackers to execute unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users without their knowledge or consent. The vulnerability manifests through the search endpoint, which fails to implement proper anti-CSRF mechanisms, making it susceptible to exploitation by malicious actors who can craft deceptive requests that appear legitimate to the target system.
The technical flaw stems from the absence of anti-CSRF tokens or validation mechanisms within the search functionality of the marketplace platform. When users navigate to the search page or submit search queries, the application does not require or validate the presence of anti-CSRF tokens that would normally be included in forms or API requests to prevent unauthorized operations. This weakness aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities, where the application fails to validate the origin of requests, allowing attackers to manipulate authenticated sessions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it enables attackers to perform unauthorized actions within the context of authenticated user sessions. An attacker could potentially leverage this flaw to modify product listings, alter search results, manipulate user accounts, or even execute administrative functions depending on the permissions structure of the platform. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because search functionality is often heavily used and frequently accessed by legitimate users, making it an ideal vector for crafting convincing attacks that can bypass typical security monitoring systems.
Security professionals should implement comprehensive mitigations including the mandatory inclusion of anti-CSRF tokens in all state-changing requests within the search functionality. The platform should generate unique tokens for each user session and validate these tokens on every request to ensure that operations originate from legitimate user interactions. Additionally, implementing proper request origin validation and employing the same-site cookie attributes can further strengthen defenses against such attacks. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following OWASP Top Ten security practices and adheres to ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers Phishing with Malicious Attachments and Links, as attackers could exploit this vulnerability through social engineering campaigns targeting the search functionality.
Organizations using this platform should conduct immediate security assessments to identify all endpoints that may be vulnerable to similar CSRF attacks and implement robust token-based validation systems. The fix should include proper session management, token generation, and validation mechanisms that align with industry best practices for preventing CSRF attacks. Regular security testing and code reviews should be implemented to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other application components, ensuring that all user-facing interfaces properly validate request authenticity and maintain proper session integrity throughout user interactions with the digital marketplace platform.