CVE-2017-9378 in BigTree
Summary
by MITRE
BigTree CMS through 4.2.18 does not prevent a user from deleting their own account. This could have security relevance because deletion was supposed to be an admin-only action, and the admin may have other tasks (such as data backups) to complete before a user is deleted.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/07/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9378 affects BigTree CMS versions through 4.2.18 and represents a critical authorization flaw that undermines the system's user management security model. This issue stems from improper access control implementation where the CMS fails to enforce role-based permissions for account deletion operations. The vulnerability allows any authenticated user to delete their own account without requiring administrative privileges, which directly violates the principle of least privilege and proper segregation of duties that are fundamental security requirements.
The technical nature of this flaw resides in the application's insufficient input validation and authorization checks within the user account management module. When a user attempts to delete their account, the system does not verify whether the requesting user possesses the necessary administrative permissions before executing the deletion process. This represents a classic case of inadequate authorization controls, which can be classified under CWE-284 Access Control Flaws. The vulnerability specifically manifests in the absence of proper privilege escalation checks within the account deletion function, allowing unauthorized users to bypass the intended administrative workflow.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security implications for organizations relying on BigTree CMS for content management. The unauthorized account deletion capability could enable malicious actors who have gained access to user credentials to remove their own accounts and potentially obscure their presence within the system. Additionally, legitimate users might inadvertently delete their accounts, leading to data loss and operational disruptions. The security relevance extends beyond simple account removal, as it compromises the integrity of the user management system and could facilitate more sophisticated attacks such as account takeover scenarios or insider threats where users abuse their elevated privileges.
The impact of this vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK tactics including privilege escalation and account access removal, as it enables users to perform actions typically restricted to administrators. Organizations may face compliance violations if this vulnerability is exploited, particularly in regulated environments where audit trails and user management controls are mandatory. The vulnerability also undermines the security posture by allowing potential attackers to disrupt user access and potentially gain insights into the system's user base through account deletion activities.
Effective mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include implementing proper authorization checks that verify administrative privileges before allowing account deletion operations. Organizations should ensure that the account deletion functionality requires explicit administrative authentication and that all deletion attempts are logged for audit purposes. The recommended remediation involves updating to a patched version of BigTree CMS where proper access controls have been implemented to prevent unauthorized users from executing administrative functions. Additionally, system administrators should review and enforce proper user access policies, implement account lockout mechanisms, and establish regular audit procedures to detect unauthorized account modifications. The fix should also include proper logging of account deletion activities to maintain audit trails and enable incident response capabilities.