CVE-2018-15849 in portfolioCMS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in portfolioCMS 1.0.5. There is CSRF to update the website settings via admin/aboutus.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/18/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-15849 represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within portfolioCMS version 1.0.5 that directly impacts administrative functionality. This issue specifically affects the admin/aboutus.php endpoint, which serves as a crucial interface for managing website configuration settings. The vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF mechanisms in the administrative update processes, allowing malicious actors to exploit this weakness through carefully crafted web requests that manipulate the CMS administration interface without user consent. The flaw is particularly dangerous because it operates at the administrative level, providing attackers with the ability to modify core website settings and potentially compromise the entire content management system.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability manifests as a failure to implement proper CSRF token validation within the portfolioCMS administrative interface. The admin/aboutus.php page accepts update requests without verifying the authenticity of the request source or ensuring that the request originates from a legitimate administrative session. This absence of validation creates a pathway for attackers to construct malicious HTML forms or JavaScript code that can trigger administrative actions when unsuspecting administrators visit compromised web pages. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in web applications. The flaw operates under the principle that legitimate administrative actions can be executed without proper session validation or token verification, making it a classic example of insufficient anti-CSRF protection mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple configuration modifications, as it provides attackers with the capability to fundamentally alter website behavior and potentially gain further access to the system. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to modify website settings such as contact information, social media links, or other administrative parameters that could be used for phishing attacks or to redirect traffic to malicious domains. The implications are particularly severe in a content management system where administrative access controls are paramount for maintaining website integrity and security. This vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including phishing emails, compromised websites, or social engineering campaigns where administrators are tricked into visiting malicious pages that automatically submit administrative requests. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.001 for command and script interpreter execution and T1566 for credential harvesting, as it enables attackers to manipulate system settings and potentially gain deeper access through subsequent exploitation attempts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-15849 should prioritize immediate implementation of proper CSRF token validation mechanisms throughout the portfolioCMS administrative interface. Security patches must be applied to ensure that all administrative update endpoints require valid session tokens and proper referer validation before processing any configuration changes. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and ensure that all administrative functions require explicit user consent through multi-factor authentication mechanisms. The solution should include implementing anti-CSRF tokens that are regenerated for each administrative session and validated against the originating request source. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual administrative activity patterns that might indicate CSRF attack attempts. Network segmentation and access control measures should be strengthened to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities across the entire application stack, ensuring that the CMS and its associated components maintain robust security controls against similar cross-site request forgery threats.