CVE-2017-17960 in PHP Multivendor Ecommerce
Summary
by MITRE
PHP Scripts Mall PHP Multivendor Ecommerce has CSRF via admin/sellerupd.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/14/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17960 affects PHP Scripts Mall PHP Multivendor Ecommerce software, specifically targeting the admin/sellerupd.php endpoint. This represents a cross-site request forgery vulnerability that allows unauthorized attackers to perform administrative actions on behalf of legitimate users without their knowledge or consent. The flaw exists within the web application's lack of proper anti-CSRF token validation mechanisms in the seller update functionality, making it susceptible to exploitation through maliciously crafted requests.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and authentication checks within the administrative update process. When administrators or sellers interact with the sellerupd.php script, the application fails to verify the authenticity of the request origin through proper CSRF token mechanisms. This absence of token validation creates a pathway for attackers to craft malicious requests that can be executed in the context of an authenticated user's session, potentially enabling unauthorized modifications to seller accounts, access permissions, or other administrative settings. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery issues in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data modification capabilities, as it can lead to complete administrative compromise of the e-commerce platform. An attacker could potentially escalate privileges, modify seller account details, change product listings, manipulate transaction records, or even gain full control over the marketplace functionality. The attack vector typically involves tricking an authenticated administrator into visiting a malicious website or clicking on a crafted link that automatically submits requests to the vulnerable endpoint. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1548.002, which covers abuse of cloud services and administrative privileges through unauthorized access mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust anti-CSRF protection measures throughout the application's administrative interface. The most effective approach involves incorporating unique, time-limited CSRF tokens for each administrative request and validating these tokens server-side before processing any modifications. Additionally, implementing proper session management, enforcing strict referer header checks, and utilizing same-site cookies can significantly reduce the attack surface. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments of their web applications to identify similar vulnerabilities in other endpoints and ensure that all administrative functions properly validate request authenticity. The implementation of these controls aligns with OWASP Top 10 security recommendations and helps protect against similar CSRF attack patterns that commonly affect e-commerce and multi-user web platforms.