CVE-2018-16704 in Gleez
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Gleez CMS v1.2.0. Because of an Insecure Direct Object Reference vulnerability, it is possible for attackers (logged in users) to view profile page of other users, as demonstrated by navigating to user/3 on demo.gleezcms.org.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/07/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-16704 represents a critical Insecure Direct Object Reference flaw within Gleez CMS version 1.2.0 that undermines the application's authorization mechanisms. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-284 which specifically addresses improper access control in software applications. The issue stems from the CMS's failure to properly validate user permissions when accessing profile pages, allowing authenticated attackers to bypass normal access controls through direct URL manipulation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when a logged-in user attempts to access another user's profile information by directly manipulating the URL parameter. In the demonstration case, navigating to user/3 on the demo.gleezcms.org instance reveals unauthorized access to another user's profile data. This occurs because the application does not verify whether the authenticated user has proper authorization to view the requested resource, instead relying on the direct object reference without implementing adequate access control checks.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for user privacy and data confidentiality within the CMS environment. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure as it allows attackers to potentially gather sensitive personal information about other users, including but not limited to usernames, email addresses, profile descriptions, and potentially other personal data stored within the user profiles. This type of vulnerability can be exploited as part of broader reconnaissance activities and may serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks within the application ecosystem.
The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and credential access, as attackers can leverage legitimate user accounts to access unauthorized resources. Organizations using Gleez CMS v1.2.0 face potential data breaches and privacy violations when this vulnerability is exploited. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires minimal technical skill and can be executed through simple web browser navigation, making it accessible to a wide range of threat actors.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper access control mechanisms that validate user permissions before granting access to profile resources. The recommended approach involves implementing a robust authorization framework that checks the current user's permissions against the requested resource, ensuring that users can only access their own profile information or resources they are explicitly authorized to view. This includes implementing proper input validation, enforcing role-based access controls, and ensuring that all object references are properly validated against the authenticated user's permissions. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing automated security scanning tools to detect similar vulnerabilities in their web applications and ensure proper access control mechanisms are in place across all user-facing interfaces.
The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper access control implementation in web applications and serves as a reminder that even authenticated users must be subject to appropriate authorization checks. This type of flaw highlights the need for comprehensive security testing including penetration testing and code reviews to identify authorization bypass vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by malicious actors in production environments.