CVE-2017-2097 in Knowledge
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in Knowledge versions prior to v1.7.0 allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/28/2017
The CVE-2017-2097 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw affecting Knowledge management systems prior to version 1.7.0. This vulnerability resides within the web application's session management and authentication mechanisms, creating a pathway for remote attackers to exploit administrative privileges without proper authorization. The flaw specifically targets the application's inability to properly validate and authenticate cross-origin requests, allowing malicious actors to craft requests that appear legitimate to the system's security controls. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe as it directly undermines the authentication process, potentially enabling complete administrative compromise of affected systems.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper request validation mechanisms within the Knowledge application's web interface. Attackers can leverage this weakness by constructing malicious web pages or email attachments that, when visited by an authenticated administrator, automatically submit requests to the vulnerable application. These requests exploit the browser's automatic inclusion of session cookies, effectively impersonating the administrator's authenticated session. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the description suggest that the vulnerability may manifest through multiple attack surfaces including form submissions, api endpoints, or javascript-based interactions within the application framework.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-2097 extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass complete system compromise and potential data exfiltration. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability gains administrative access to the Knowledge application, enabling them to modify or delete content, alter user permissions, access sensitive information, and potentially use the compromised system as a pivot point for further attacks within the network. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in web applications, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1566.002 for the use of malicious web content to compromise systems. The vulnerability's persistence and potential for automated exploitation make it particularly dangerous in environments where administrators frequently access applications from potentially compromised networks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-2097 require immediate implementation of proper CSRF protection mechanisms including the use of anti-forgery tokens, implementing strict origin validation checks, and ensuring that all state-changing operations require explicit user confirmation. Organizations should upgrade to Knowledge version 1.7.0 or later, which includes proper CSRF protection measures. Additional defensive measures include implementing content security policies, monitoring for suspicious authentication patterns, and conducting regular security assessments of web applications. Network segmentation and user access controls can provide additional layers of protection, while security awareness training for administrators helps prevent accidental exploitation through social engineering attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing comprehensive web application security controls as outlined in OWASP's top ten security risks and NIST cybersecurity frameworks.