CVE-2017-9414 in SubSonic
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the Subscribe to Podcast feature in Subsonic 6.1.1 allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of unspecified victims for requests that conduct cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks or possibly have unspecified other impact via the name parameter to playerSettings.view.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/25/2024
The CVE-2017-9414 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within the Subsonic media server software version 6.1.1. This vulnerability specifically targets the Subscribe to Podcast functionality, creating a dangerous attack vector that enables remote adversaries to manipulate authenticated sessions. The flaw manifests through the name parameter in the playerSettings.view endpoint, which serves as the primary exploitation mechanism for this CSRF vulnerability. The vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-352, which defines cross-site request forgery as a weakness where the application fails to validate that requests originate from the intended user. This weakness is particularly concerning in web applications that handle user authentication and session management, as it allows attackers to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users without their knowledge or consent.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the name parameter within the playerSettings.view endpoint, which is part of the Subscribe to Podcast feature. When an authenticated user visits a malicious website or clicks on a crafted link, the attacker can construct a request that appears legitimate to the Subsonic server. The server processes this request as if it came from the authenticated user, potentially executing cross-site scripting attacks or other malicious operations. The unspecified nature of the impact suggests that this vulnerability could enable various types of attacks beyond just XSS, potentially including privilege escalation, data manipulation, or session hijacking. The attack requires minimal user interaction since it operates through the existing authenticated session, making it particularly dangerous for environments where users maintain persistent connections to the Subsonic server. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of implementing proper CSRF protection mechanisms such as anti-CSRF tokens, which would prevent unauthorized requests from being processed by the server.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-9414 extends beyond simple XSS attacks, potentially allowing attackers to compromise entire user sessions within the Subsonic environment. This vulnerability affects the core functionality of podcast subscription management, which is a critical feature for users relying on the platform for media consumption and content management. The attack surface is particularly wide since it leverages existing authenticated sessions, meaning that any user with valid credentials could be targeted. The vulnerability could enable attackers to modify user preferences, inject malicious scripts into the media player interface, or potentially access restricted content through unauthorized API calls. Given that Subsonic serves as a media server platform, the potential for data exfiltration or content manipulation is significant. The attack could also facilitate further reconnaissance activities, as successful exploitation would provide attackers with a persistent foothold within the user's media environment. This vulnerability particularly impacts enterprise and home network setups where Subsonic is used for shared media libraries, potentially allowing attackers to compromise multiple user accounts through a single successful attack.
Organizations and users affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigation strategies to protect their Subsonic installations. The most effective approach involves applying the vendor-provided security patches or upgrading to versions that have addressed this CSRF vulnerability. The implementation of anti-CSRF tokens within the Subscribe to Podcast functionality would provide robust protection against this class of attacks. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring of the playerSettings.view endpoint can help detect suspicious activity patterns. Security professionals should consider implementing web application firewalls that can identify and block malicious CSRF requests targeting this specific endpoint. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and penetration testing for media server applications, particularly those handling user authentication and session management. Organizations should review their existing CSRF protection mechanisms and ensure that all user-facing endpoints implement proper validation checks. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of CSRF protection in web applications and the potential consequences of failing to implement adequate safeguards. The attack patterns associated with this vulnerability align with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers social engineering attacks through malicious links, demonstrating how CSRF vulnerabilities can be exploited through seemingly benign user interactions.