CVE-2017-6917 in BigTree
Summary
by MITRE
CSRF exists in BigTree CMS 4.2.16 with the value parameter to the admin/settings/update/ page. The Colophon can be changed.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/09/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-6917 represents a cross-site request forgery weakness within BigTree CMS version 4.2.16 that specifically targets the administrative settings update functionality. This flaw resides in the handling of the value parameter within the admin/settings/update/ endpoint, allowing unauthorized modifications to critical system configurations. The vulnerability enables attackers to manipulate the Colophon setting, which typically contains copyright information and other metadata displayed on website pages, potentially leading to unauthorized content modification or malicious redirection.
This CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-forgery tokens or validation mechanisms in the administrative update process. When an authenticated administrator visits a malicious page or clicks on a crafted link, the attacker can trigger unintended administrative actions without the user's knowledge or consent. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates within the administrative context of the CMS, providing attackers with elevated privileges to modify core system settings. The specific targeting of the Colophon parameter indicates that the flaw affects the content management system's ability to maintain consistent and secure administrative interfaces.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple content modification, as it can potentially enable more sophisticated attacks within the CMS environment. An attacker who successfully exploits this CSRF flaw could modify the Colophon to include malicious links, alter copyright information to mislead users, or even embed malicious code that could propagate to other parts of the website. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that remains active as long as the administrative session remains valid, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrators frequently access the system. This weakness directly violates the principle of least privilege and can lead to complete system compromise if combined with other vulnerabilities or if the administrator's session is hijacked.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which defines Cross-Site Request Forgery as a security flaw that allows an attacker to induce users to perform actions they did not intend. The flaw manifests in the lack of proper validation of the origin of requests to the administrative update endpoint, creating an environment where requests can be forged without requiring the administrator's explicit authorization. From an ATT&CK perspective, this vulnerability maps to technique T1078 which covers Valid Accounts, as it leverages legitimate administrative privileges to execute unauthorized changes. Mitigation strategies should include implementing proper anti-forgery token mechanisms, enforcing strict origin validation on administrative endpoints, and ensuring that all administrative actions require explicit user confirmation through multi-factor authentication or additional verification steps. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security audits and prompt patch management, as the issue was present in version 4.2.16 and likely affected other versions in the same release cycle. Organizations should immediately apply available patches or implement compensating controls such as network-level restrictions on administrative endpoints and monitoring for unauthorized configuration changes.