CVE-2017-2102 in AppGoat for Web Application
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in Hands-on Vulnerability Learning Tool "AppGoat" for Web Application V3.0.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/21/2020
The CVE-2017-2102 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw discovered in the Hands-on Vulnerability Learning Tool known as AppGoat version 3.0.0 and earlier. This vulnerability exists within the web application security training platform designed to teach developers and security professionals about common web application vulnerabilities. The flaw specifically affects the authentication mechanisms of administrative accounts, creating a significant risk for organizations that rely on this learning tool for security education purposes. The vulnerability's presence in a security training application is particularly concerning as it could potentially be exploited to compromise the very systems meant to demonstrate secure coding practices.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF measures within the application's administrative interfaces. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious web pages or emails that, when visited by an authenticated administrator, automatically submit requests to the vulnerable application without the user's knowledge or consent. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the description indicate that the vulnerability likely affects multiple administrative functions, including but not limited to user management, configuration changes, and privilege escalation capabilities. This type of vulnerability typically occurs when the application fails to validate the origin of requests or implement unique tokens that tie requests to specific user sessions, making it susceptible to automated exploitation through social engineering techniques.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or modification, as it specifically targets administrative accounts that typically possess elevated privileges within the application. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain complete control over the application's administrative functions, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data, modification of training materials, or even the ability to add malicious users to the system. The implications are particularly severe for organizations using AppGoat for security education, as exploitation could compromise the integrity of their entire security training program and potentially provide attackers with access to the learning environment itself. This vulnerability essentially creates a backdoor that allows attackers to bypass normal authentication mechanisms and assume administrative roles within the application.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in relation to CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in software applications. The flaw also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers Phishing for Information, as attackers could leverage this vulnerability through social engineering campaigns targeting administrators. Mitigation strategies should include implementing robust anti-CSRF token mechanisms, enforcing proper origin validation on all administrative requests, and ensuring that all user sessions contain unique identifiers that are validated on each request. Organizations should also consider implementing additional authentication layers such as multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts, regular security assessments of training environments, and network segmentation to limit the potential impact of any successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of securing even educational platforms that are designed to demonstrate security weaknesses, as these systems often contain sensitive data and administrative capabilities that could be exploited to compromise the broader security infrastructure.