CVE-2018-14859 in Community
Summary
by MITRE
Incorrect access control in the password reset component in Odoo Community 11.0 and earlier and Odoo Enterprise 11.0 and earlier allows authenticated users to reset the password of other users by being the first party to use the secure token.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/17/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-14859 represents a critical access control flaw within the password reset functionality of Odoo versions 11.0 and earlier across both Community and Enterprise editions. This issue stems from improper validation of secure tokens used during the password reset process, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this popular open-source ERP platform. The flaw allows authenticated users to exploit a race condition or token manipulation technique to reset passwords of other users within the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs in the password reset component where secure tokens are generated and validated. When a user requests a password reset, the system generates a unique token that should only be valid for the specific user who initiated the request. However, the flawed access control mechanism fails to properly verify that the token belongs to the intended user, enabling malicious actors to intercept or manipulate the token validation process. This weakness creates an opportunity for privilege escalation attacks where an authenticated user can leverage their session to compromise other user accounts.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to organizational security posture as it directly enables account takeover capabilities. An attacker with valid credentials can exploit this flaw to reset passwords of other users without requiring additional authentication factors or administrative privileges. The impact extends beyond simple credential theft as compromised accounts can lead to full system access, data exfiltration, and potential lateral movement within the network. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires minimal privileges to exploit and can be automated, making it attractive for large-scale attacks against organizations using vulnerable Odoo installations.
The flaw aligns with CWE-284 Access Control Issues, specifically addressing improper access control mechanisms that allow unauthorized users to perform actions they should not be permitted to execute. This vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 Valid Accounts, as it enables adversaries to maintain persistent access through compromised user credentials. Organizations using vulnerable versions of Odoo face potential compliance violations under various regulatory frameworks including GDPR, SOX, and HIPAA, which mandate proper access controls and authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability affects not only the confidentiality of user data but also the integrity and availability of the entire ERP system.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate upgrade to patched versions of Odoo 12.0 or later, where the access control mechanisms have been properly implemented and validated. Organizations should also implement additional monitoring of password reset activities and token usage patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit lateral movement capabilities if an account is compromised. Security teams should conduct thorough penetration testing of their Odoo installations to verify proper implementation of access controls and validate that no similar vulnerabilities exist in custom modules or configurations. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to ensure ongoing protection against similar access control flaws.