CVE-2017-6069 in Subrion CMS
Summary
by MITRE
Subrion CMS 4.0.5 has CSRF in admin/blog/add/. The attacker can add any tag, and can optionally insert XSS via the tags parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/30/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-6069 affects Subrion CMS version 4.0.5 and represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw located within the administrative blog management interface. This vulnerability specifically exists in the admin/blog/add/ endpoint where unauthorized users can exploit the lack of proper anti-CSRF protection mechanisms to execute malicious actions on behalf of authenticated administrators. The flaw allows attackers to manipulate the system by adding arbitrary tags to blog entries, which creates a persistent vector for further exploitation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the absence of anti-CSRF tokens in the form processing mechanism for the blog addition functionality. When an administrator navigates to the blog creation page and submits a new blog entry, the system fails to validate that the request originated from a legitimate administrative session. This omission creates a fundamental security gap where an attacker can craft malicious web pages or emails containing embedded requests that, when executed by an authenticated administrator, will perform unauthorized actions. The vulnerability specifically targets the tags parameter, which serves as an entry point for additional attack vectors including cross-site scripting.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it creates a persistent backdoor for attackers to manipulate content within the CMS. By adding arbitrary tags, attackers can potentially influence search engine optimization results, manipulate content categorization, or establish a foothold for more sophisticated attacks. The optional XSS insertion capability through the tags parameter transforms this vulnerability into a multi-stage attack vector where the initial CSRF exploitation can lead to full administrative compromise. This vulnerability directly aligns with CWE-352, which defines cross-site request forgery as a weakness where the application fails to validate that requests originate from legitimate users, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.008 for script injection attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-6069 should focus on implementing robust anti-CSRF protection mechanisms throughout the application's administrative interfaces. Organizations should immediately deploy anti-CSRF tokens for all administrative form submissions, ensuring that each request contains a unique, unpredictable token that validates the user's intent. The implementation should follow established security frameworks such as OWASP CSRF protection guidelines and include proper token validation on the server-side. Additionally, input sanitization should be enforced on the tags parameter to prevent XSS injection, with proper encoding and validation of all user-supplied content. System administrators should also consider implementing additional security measures such as rate limiting for administrative functions, enhanced session management, and regular security audits of all CMS components. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and demonstrates how seemingly minor oversights in form validation can create significant security risks within content management systems.