CVE-2018-0784 in ASP.NET Core
Summary
by MITRE
ASP.NET Core 1.0. 1.1, and 2.0 allow an elevation of privilege vulnerability due to the ASP.NET Core project templates, aka "ASP.NET Core Elevation Of Privilege Vulnerability". This CVE is unique from CVE-2018-0808.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/29/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-0784 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw affecting ASP.NET Core versions 1.0, 1.1, and 2.0. This issue stems from the default project templates used in the ASP.NET Core development framework, making it particularly concerning as it affects the foundational components that developers rely upon when creating new applications. The vulnerability specifically manifests in how these templates handle authentication and authorization mechanisms, creating opportunities for attackers to escalate their privileges within applications built using these frameworks. The flaw is categorized under CWE-284 Access Control, which specifically addresses insufficient access control mechanisms that allow unauthorized users to gain elevated privileges. This vulnerability operates at the application level and can be exploited by malicious actors who gain initial access to a system, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
The technical exploitation of CVE-2018-0784 occurs through the improper configuration of authentication and authorization settings within the default ASP.NET Core project templates. Attackers can leverage this weakness to bypass intended access controls and gain elevated privileges within the application context. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it affects the project creation process itself rather than individual applications, meaning that any new application generated using these templates inherits the flawed access control mechanisms. This flaw enables attackers to escalate privileges from a regular user account to administrative or system-level access, depending on the application's configuration and the underlying system architecture. The attack vector typically involves exploiting the default template configurations that may not properly enforce security boundaries between different user roles or access levels, creating a pathway for privilege escalation that aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 Privilege Escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond individual applications to affect entire development and deployment pipelines. Organizations that have deployed applications using affected ASP.NET Core versions are at risk of unauthorized access to sensitive data and system resources. The vulnerability's presence in the project templates means that even applications that appear secure at first glance may contain inherent access control weaknesses. This creates a cascading effect where multiple applications across an organization may be simultaneously vulnerable, especially in environments where development teams consistently use the default templates. The security implications are further compounded by the fact that this vulnerability can be exploited by attackers who have already gained initial access to the system through other means, making it particularly dangerous in environments where defense-in-depth strategies are crucial for maintaining security boundaries.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-0784 require immediate action to address the root cause within the affected ASP.NET Core versions. Organizations should prioritize updating their applications to versions of ASP.NET Core that have addressed this vulnerability, specifically versions 1.1.6, 2.0.6, and later releases. The recommended approach involves not only upgrading the framework but also implementing comprehensive code reviews to ensure that existing applications do not contain the vulnerable template configurations. Security teams should conduct thorough assessments of their application portfolios to identify any instances where the affected templates were used, particularly focusing on applications that handle sensitive data or operate in high-security environments. Additionally, organizations should implement monitoring mechanisms to detect unauthorized privilege escalation attempts that could indicate exploitation of this vulnerability. The remediation process should also include updating development practices to ensure that developers are aware of the vulnerability and implement proper access control mechanisms when creating new applications. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of secure coding practices and the need for regular security assessments of development frameworks and templates used within organizational environments.