CVE-2017-2143 in CS-Cart Japanese Edition
Summary
by MITRE
CS-Cart Japanese Edition v4.3.10-jp-1 and earlier, CS-Cart Multivendor Japanese Edition v4.3.10-jp-1 and earlier allows remote attackers to bypass access restriction to create a request to return a customer purchased item via rma.post.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/22/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-2143 affects CS-Cart Japanese Edition versions 4.3.10-jp-1 and earlier, as well as CS-Cart Multivendor Japanese Edition versions 4.3.10-jp-1 and earlier. This represents a critical access control flaw that undermines the integrity of the return merchandise authorization system within these e-commerce platforms. The vulnerability specifically resides in the rma.post.php component which handles customer return requests, allowing unauthorized remote attackers to exploit a missing authorization check during the return process.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and authentication controls within the return management functionality. When customers attempt to submit return requests through the rma.post.php endpoint, the system fails to properly verify whether the requesting user has legitimate authorization to initiate such returns. This authorization gap enables malicious actors to craft and submit return requests on behalf of other customers or for items they have not actually purchased, effectively bypassing the intended access restrictions that should govern return transactions. The flaw operates at the application logic level, where the system assumes all requests are legitimate without proper verification of user credentials or purchase history.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security risks for e-commerce businesses utilizing affected CS-Cart versions. Attackers can exploit this weakness to initiate fraudulent return requests, potentially leading to financial losses through unauthorized product returns and refunds. The vulnerability also poses risks to customer data integrity, as unauthorized individuals might manipulate return records or access information about other customers' purchase histories. Additionally, the bypass of access controls undermines the trust model of the e-commerce platform, potentially affecting customer confidence and business reputation. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors can exploit this vulnerability from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access to the system or prior authentication credentials.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues in software systems, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for valid accounts, as attackers can potentially abuse legitimate return processes to gain unauthorized access to return functionality. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to patched versions of CS-Cart Japanese Edition and CS-Cart Multivendor Japanese Edition, implementing proper input validation for all return requests, and adding additional authentication checks before processing return transactions. Network-level controls such as web application firewalls should be configured to monitor and restrict access patterns to the rma.post.php endpoint, while also implementing logging and monitoring mechanisms to detect suspicious return request activities. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar authorization gaps in other components of the e-commerce platform.