CVE-2017-9673 in SimpleCE
Summary
by MITRE
In SimpleCE 2.3.0, a CSRF vulnerability can be exploited to add an administrator account (via the index.php/user/new URI) or change its settings (via the index.php/user/1 URI), including its password.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/08/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9673 affects SimpleCE version 2.3.0 and represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw that undermines the application's authentication and authorization mechanisms. This vulnerability resides within the web application's user management functionality, specifically targeting the endpoints used for creating new administrator accounts and modifying existing user configurations. The flaw allows attackers to manipulate the application's user management system without proper authorization, potentially leading to complete system compromise through unauthorized administrative access.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF token validation within the affected URIs. When users navigate to the index.php/user/new endpoint to create new administrator accounts or access the index.php/user/1 endpoint to modify user settings, the application fails to verify the authenticity of the requests originating from legitimate users. This omission creates a window of opportunity for attackers to craft malicious requests that appear to originate from authenticated users, exploiting the trust relationship between the web application and its users. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and directly impacts the integrity of the user management system, making it particularly dangerous for administrative functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple account manipulation, as it enables attackers to establish persistent administrative access to the SimpleCE application. By exploiting the CSRF flaw, malicious actors can add new administrator accounts with full privileges, effectively bypassing the application's access control mechanisms. Additionally, the ability to modify existing user settings, including passwords, allows attackers to maintain long-term access to the system or lock out legitimate users. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can result in complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and potential lateral movement within network environments where SimpleCE is deployed. The attack surface is further expanded as the vulnerability affects both account creation and modification functionalities, providing attackers with multiple vectors for establishing persistent access.
Mitigation strategies for this CSRF vulnerability should focus on implementing robust anti-CSRF protection mechanisms throughout the application's user management interfaces. The most effective approach involves implementing unique, unpredictable tokens for each user session that are validated on every state-changing request. These tokens should be generated server-side, transmitted to the client in a secure manner, and verified before processing any user management operations. Organizations should also implement proper input validation and access control checks to ensure that only authorized users can perform administrative functions. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery weaknesses, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for valid accounts and T1566.001 for credential access through social engineering. Regular security testing and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components, as CSRF flaws often manifest in multiple areas of web applications. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers and using secure session management practices can further strengthen the overall security posture against this class of attack.