CVE-2018-18191 in FineCMS
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in /admin.php?c=member&m=edit&uid=1 in dayrui FineCms 5.4 allows remote attackers to change the administrator's password.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/01/2020
This cross-site request forgery vulnerability exists within the dayrui FineCms 5.4 content management system at the specific endpoint /admin.php?c=member&m=edit&uid=1 which allows remote attackers to manipulate administrator credentials. The flaw stems from insufficient validation of request origins and lack of proper anti-CSRF token implementation within the administrative interface. Attackers can craft malicious web pages or exploit existing vulnerabilities in user browsers to submit forged requests that modify administrator accounts without proper authorization. This represents a critical security weakness that directly compromises the integrity of the CMS administration functionality and potentially leads to full system compromise.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic CSRF attack vector where the application fails to validate that requests originate from legitimate administrative interfaces. The affected parameter uid=1 specifically targets the administrator account, making this attack particularly dangerous as it allows privilege escalation and complete control over the CMS. This weakness falls under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities in software applications. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the administrative level where sensitive operations can be performed without proper authentication verification.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it enables attackers to gain persistent administrative access to the CMS environment. Once exploited, an attacker can modify content, install malicious code, manipulate user accounts, and potentially use the compromised system as a staging ground for further attacks within the network. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and T1566 which covers credential access through various attack vectors. The exploitation requires minimal technical skill and can be automated, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that do not maintain proper security monitoring.
Organizations should immediately implement proper CSRF protection mechanisms including the deployment of anti-CSRF tokens for all administrative actions and proper validation of request origins. The recommended mitigation strategy involves enforcing strict referer header validation and implementing unique tokens for each administrative session. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls and security monitoring to detect unusual administrative activity patterns. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and timely patch management for CMS platforms, as this flaw represents a preventable issue that could have been addressed through proper input validation and security coding practices. Organizations should also implement role-based access controls and multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts to provide additional defense layers against such attacks.