CVE-2018-12596 in Ektron CMS
Summary
by MITRE
Episerver Ektron CMS before 9.0 SP3 Site CU 31, 9.1 before SP3 Site CU 45, or 9.2 before SP2 Site CU 22 allows remote attackers to call aspx pages via the "activateuser.aspx" page, even if a page is located under the /WorkArea/ path, which is forbidden (normally available exclusively for local admins).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/24/2024
This vulnerability exists within Episerver Ektron CMS versions prior to specific service pack and cumulative update releases, creating a critical access control flaw that undermines the security boundaries of the content management system. The issue specifically affects versions 9.0 SP3 Site CU 31, 9.1 SP3 Site CU 45, and 9.2 SP2 Site CU 22, where the authentication and authorization mechanisms fail to properly restrict access to sensitive administrative pages. The vulnerability manifests through the activateuser.aspx page which should normally be restricted to local administrators but can be accessed remotely by unauthorized attackers. This flaw represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege and demonstrates a failure in the application's access control implementation.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a path traversal or access control bypass mechanism that allows remote attackers to invoke aspx pages through the activateuser.aspx endpoint regardless of their location within the application's directory structure. Specifically, when pages are located under the /WorkArea/ path which should normally be restricted to local administrators only, the system fails to enforce these access restrictions properly. This represents a CWE-285 vulnerability related to improper authorization, where the system does not adequately verify that the requesting user has appropriate privileges to access the requested resource. The flaw essentially creates a backdoor that allows attackers to bypass the intended security boundaries of the WorkArea directory structure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides attackers with unauthorized access to administrative functionality that should be restricted to local administrators only. This could enable attackers to perform user account activation operations that might lead to privilege escalation, account takeovers, or other malicious activities within the content management system. The ability to remotely access pages normally restricted to local administrators creates a significant risk of data compromise and system manipulation. Attackers could potentially exploit this vulnerability to gain elevated privileges, modify user accounts, or access sensitive administrative functions that should remain protected from remote access attempts.
Organizations using affected Episerver Ektron CMS versions should immediately apply the appropriate service packs and cumulative updates to remediate this vulnerability. The recommended mitigation strategy involves upgrading to the patched versions specified in the CVE description, which include Episerver Ektron CMS 9.0 SP3 Site CU 31, 9.1 SP3 Site CU 45, and 9.2 SP2 Site CU 22. Additionally, implementing network-level restrictions to limit access to administrative endpoints, monitoring for unauthorized access attempts, and conducting regular security assessments of the content management system are essential defensive measures. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for Valid Accounts and T1566 for Phishing, as it could enable attackers to establish persistent access through compromised user accounts or by leveraging the administrative functionality to expand their foothold within the system.