CVE-2018-14331 in XiaoCms X1
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in XiaoCms X1 v20140305. There is a CSRF vulnerability to change the administrator account password via admin/index.php?c=index&a=my.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/05/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-14331 represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within XiaoCms X1 version 20140305. This issue exists in the administrative interface where an attacker can manipulate the password change functionality through the specific endpoint admin/index.php?c=index&a=my. The flaw stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF tokens or validation mechanisms within the password modification workflow, allowing unauthorized users to execute administrative actions without legitimate authorization.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the lack of request origin validation and session integrity checks within the CMS framework. When an administrator visits a malicious website or clicks on a crafted link, the CSRF attack can automatically submit a request to modify the administrator account password without requiring the user to re-authenticate or provide additional verification. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-352, which defines Cross-Site Request Forgery as a weakness where the application fails to validate that requests originate from the intended user.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides attackers with direct access to administrative privileges within the CMS system. Once compromised, attackers can modify content, add malicious users, alter system configurations, and potentially gain full control over the website. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no authentication or specialized knowledge beyond crafting a malicious request, making it accessible to attackers with minimal technical expertise. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 which covers Valid Accounts and T1531 which addresses Account Access Removal, as it allows unauthorized access to administrative accounts.
Mitigation strategies should include implementing robust anti-CSRF token mechanisms throughout all administrative functions, particularly those involving account modifications. The system must validate request origins and implement proper session management with unique tokens for each user session. Additionally, the application should enforce strict input validation and implement proper authorization checks for all administrative endpoints. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other parts of the application. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious administrative activities. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper authentication and authorization controls in web applications, particularly those handling sensitive administrative functions.