CVE-2018-17070 in UNL-CMS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in UNL-CMS 7.59. A CSRF attack can update the website settings via ?q=admin%2Fconfig%2Fsystem%2Fsite-information&render=overlay&render=overlay.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/16/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-17070 affects UNL-CMS version 7.59 and represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw that allows unauthorized modification of website configuration settings. This vulnerability exists within the content management system's administrative interface, specifically targeting the site information configuration endpoint. The flaw enables attackers to manipulate the website's core settings without proper authentication by exploiting the lack of proper anti-CSRF token validation mechanisms in the affected URL path. The vulnerable endpoint ?q=admin%2Fconfig%2Fsystem%2Fsite-information&render=overlay&render=overlay demonstrates how the application fails to implement adequate security controls to prevent unauthorized administrative actions from being executed through crafted requests.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's insufficient validation of request origins and lack of anti-CSRF protection mechanisms. When an authenticated user visits a malicious page containing a crafted request to the vulnerable endpoint, the CMS processes the request without verifying that it originated from a legitimate administrative interface. This weakness falls under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities in web applications. The vulnerability allows attackers to perform unauthorized actions within the context of an authenticated user's session, potentially leading to complete compromise of the website's configuration and operational integrity. The overlay rendering mechanism in the URL path suggests that the application's administrative interface is designed to handle AJAX requests, but the security controls have not been properly extended to cover these dynamic request patterns.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple configuration changes and could result in significant security breaches and service disruption. An attacker could modify critical site settings such as the site name, slogan, or other administrative parameters, potentially leading to service degradation or complete website compromise. The vulnerability's exploitation capability allows for the execution of administrative functions that could be used to redirect traffic, alter content, or disable security features. This type of vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers Valid Accounts and T1190 which covers Exploit Public-Facing Application, as it represents a weakness in a publicly accessible application component that can be exploited to gain administrative privileges. The attack vector could be facilitated through social engineering campaigns where users are tricked into visiting malicious websites, or through more sophisticated attack chains that leverage the compromised configuration to establish persistent access.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust anti-CSRF protection mechanisms throughout the CMS administrative interface. The primary remediation involves ensuring that all administrative endpoints validate the presence and authenticity of anti-CSRF tokens for every state-changing request. Organizations should also implement proper request origin validation and ensure that all administrative functions require explicit authentication tokens that are tied to the user's current session. The solution should include comprehensive input validation and proper session management controls that prevent unauthorized administrative actions from being executed through manipulated requests. Security hardening measures should also include implementing Content Security Policy headers and ensuring that the overlay rendering mechanism properly validates all incoming requests. Additionally, regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the CMS that may not have been properly secured against CSRF attacks.