CVE-2018-0575 in BaserCMS
Summary
by MITRE
baserCMS (baserCMS 4.1.0.1 and earlier versions, baserCMS 3.0.15 and earlier versions) allows remote attackers to bypass access restriction in mail form to view a file which is uploaded by a site user via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/22/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-0575 affects baserCMS versions 4.1.0.1 and earlier, as well as version 3.0.15 and earlier, representing a critical access control flaw that permits unauthorized remote file disclosure. This vulnerability resides within the mail form functionality of the content management system, where legitimate users can upload files to the platform. The flaw enables attackers to bypass intended access restrictions and gain visibility into files that have been uploaded by other site users, creating a significant data exposure risk.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and access control mechanisms within the mail form component. Attackers can exploit unspecified vectors to manipulate the file access pathways, potentially allowing them to traverse the system's intended file access boundaries. This flaw operates at the application level, leveraging weak authorization checks that should prevent users from accessing files they have not uploaded or do not have explicit permission to view. The vulnerability essentially creates a path traversal or directory traversal scenario where the system fails to properly verify user permissions before granting file access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial as it exposes sensitive user-generated content to unauthorized parties, potentially including personal information, confidential documents, or other proprietary data uploaded through the CMS. This breach of access control can lead to data leakage, privacy violations, and potential compromise of user accounts. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors do not require physical access or local system credentials to exploit the vulnerability, making it particularly dangerous in web-facing environments. Organizations using affected baserCMS versions face significant risk of unauthorized data access and potential regulatory compliance violations.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper access control measures and input validation within the mail form functionality. Organizations should immediately upgrade to patched versions of baserCMS where available, as the vulnerability requires code-level fixes to properly enforce user permissions. Additional defensive measures include implementing robust authentication checks, validating file access requests against user credentials, and ensuring proper sandboxing of uploaded files. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues, and could be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1041 for data extraction through unauthorized access. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar access control flaws in other CMS components and ensure comprehensive protection against unauthorized file access scenarios.