CVE-2018-11098 in Frog
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Frog CMS 0.9.5. There is a file upload vulnerability via the admin/?/plugin/file_manager/upload URI, a similar issue to CVE-2014-4912.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/13/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-11098 represents a critical file upload flaw in Frog CMS version 0.9.5 that exposes the content management system to remote code execution attacks. This security weakness resides within the administrative interface at the specific URI path admin/?/plugin/file_manager/upload, making it accessible to authenticated users with administrative privileges. The vulnerability shares similarities with CVE-2014-4912, indicating a persistent pattern of insecure file handling within the Frog CMS framework that has remained unaddressed across multiple versions. The flaw essentially allows an attacker to upload malicious files to the server through the file manager plugin, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
This vulnerability operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration CWE-434 category, which specifically addresses "Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type." The technical implementation flaw occurs when the application fails to properly validate file types and contents during the upload process, allowing arbitrary file uploads without adequate sanitization checks. The administrative interface lacks proper input validation mechanisms to verify that uploaded files conform to expected formats, enabling attackers to bypass security controls and upload executable scripts or malicious binaries. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires only administrative access, which is typically limited to trusted users within the organization.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-11098 extends beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with a direct path to establish persistent access and execute arbitrary code on the compromised server. Once an attacker successfully uploads a malicious file through the vulnerable endpoint, they can leverage the uploaded content to gain shell access, deploy backdoors, or conduct further reconnaissance activities within the network. The attack surface is further expanded because Frog CMS installations often contain sensitive data and may be integrated with other systems, making the compromise of a single administrative account potentially catastrophic for the entire organization. This vulnerability directly maps to the ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for Valid Accounts and T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, enabling adversaries to maintain persistence and execute malicious commands.
Organizations should immediately implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability, starting with immediate patching of Frog CMS to version 0.9.6 or later where the issue has been addressed. Network segmentation should be enforced to limit access to the administrative interface, ensuring that only authorized personnel can reach the vulnerable URI endpoint. Additionally, implementing proper file type validation and content inspection mechanisms at the application level can prevent malicious uploads even if other security controls fail. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual file upload activities within the administrative interface, while regular security audits should verify that no unauthorized modifications have occurred. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of implementing principle of least privilege access controls and regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar issues in other applications within the organization's attack surface.