CVE-2017-9444 in BigTree
Summary
by MITRE
BigTree CMS through 4.2.18 has CSRF related to the core\admin\modules\users\profile\update.php script (modify user information), the index.php/admin/developer/packages/delete/ URI (remove packages), the index.php/admin/developer/upgrade/ignore/?versions= URI, and the index.php/admin/developer/upgrade/set-ftp-directory/ URI.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/08/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9444 affects BigTree CMS versions up to 4.2.18 and represents a cross-site request forgery flaw that enables unauthorized users to perform administrative actions without proper authentication. This critical security weakness stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF protections in multiple administrative endpoints, specifically targeting user profile modifications and package management functions within the CMS. The affected scripts include coreadminmodulesusersprofileupdatephp, indexphpadmindeveloperpackagesdeleteURI, indexphpadmindeveloperupgradeignoreversionsURI, and indexphpadmindeveloperupgradesetftpdirectoryURI, all of which operate without adequate token validation or request origin verification mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the fundamental flaw in web application security where authenticated sessions lack sufficient protection against malicious request manipulation. Attackers can craft malicious web pages or emails containing embedded requests that, when executed by an authenticated user, perform unauthorized administrative actions. The vulnerability manifests through the absence of anti-CSRF tokens in the affected URIs, allowing attackers to leverage the authenticated user's session to execute commands that should require explicit user consent or additional authentication factors. This weakness operates at the application layer and can be classified under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-9444 extends beyond simple data manipulation to encompass full administrative control over affected BigTree CMS installations. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can modify user profiles to elevate privileges, delete critical packages that may contain security updates or essential functionality, ignore upgrade notifications that could prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities, or alter FTP directory configurations that affect system deployment and security. This comprehensive attack surface enables threat actors to potentially establish persistent access, disrupt services, or escalate privileges within the CMS environment. The vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004, which describes legitimate credentials usage through compromised administrative accounts.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of anti-CSRF token validation across all administrative endpoints. Organizations should ensure that each administrative request includes a unique, unpredictable token that is validated server-side before processing any modification requests. The fix involves implementing proper session management with CSRF protection mechanisms, including the generation and validation of tokens for each user session. Additionally, implementing proper request origin checking and implementing the SameSite cookie attributes can provide additional layers of protection. Regular security audits should verify that all administrative interfaces contain appropriate anti-CSRF protections, and automated testing tools should be employed to identify similar vulnerabilities in other endpoints. The remediation process should also include updating to the latest stable version of BigTree CMS where this vulnerability has been addressed through proper implementation of CSRF protection mechanisms.