CVE-2018-18711 in WUZHI
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in WUZHI CMS 4.1.0. There is a CSRF vulnerability that can change the super administrator's password via index.php?m=core&f=panel&v=edit_info.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-18711 represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within WUZHI CMS version 4.1.0 that directly compromises administrative access controls. This vulnerability exists in the core administrative panel functionality where the system fails to implement proper anti-CSRF token validation mechanisms when processing password modification requests for super administrator accounts. The specific endpoint index.php?m=core&f=panel&v=edit_info serves as the attack vector where malicious actors can craft specially crafted web requests that, when executed by an authenticated administrator, will silently modify critical account credentials without proper authorization checks.
This vulnerability falls under the CWE-352 category of Cross-Site Request Forgery, which is classified as a serious web application security weakness that allows attackers to perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The flaw demonstrates a fundamental failure in the application's security architecture where state-changing operations lack proper validation of the request origin and authenticity. The attack requires minimal privileges since it targets an existing administrative account, making it particularly dangerous as it bypasses normal authentication mechanisms and directly exploits the trust relationship between the web application and its authenticated users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple credential compromise, as it provides attackers with unrestricted access to the entire content management system. Once an administrator's password is changed, attackers gain full control over website content, user management, file uploads, and system configuration settings. This can lead to complete website takeover, data exfiltration, defacement, and potential use as a pivot point for attacking other systems within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates silently without requiring any user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website or clicking on a compromised link, making it extremely difficult to detect and prevent through traditional user awareness measures.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate implementation of anti-CSRF token validation mechanisms across all state-changing operations within the CMS, particularly those related to administrative account modifications. Organizations should ensure that every form submission and API endpoint modification requires a unique, time-bound token that is validated server-side before processing any changes. The fix should also include implementing proper referer header validation and origin checking mechanisms to prevent unauthorized requests from external domains. Additionally, security hardening measures such as rate limiting, session management improvements, and regular security audits should be implemented to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other parts of the application. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1078 for Valid Accounts and T1531 for Account Access Removal, representing the exploitation of legitimate administrative credentials and potential account compromise. The vulnerability also aligns with CWE-352's classification as a critical security weakness that requires immediate remediation to prevent unauthorized access to critical system resources.