CVE-2018-19110 in tianti
Summary
by MITRE
The skin-management feature in tianti 2.3 allows remote authenticated users to bypass intended permission restrictions by visiting tianti-module-admin/user/skin/list directly because controller\usercontroller.java maps a /skin/list request to the function skinList, and lacks an authorization check.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/05/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-19110 resides within the tianti 2.3 content management system where a critical authorization flaw exists in the skin-management functionality. This weakness allows remote authenticated attackers to circumvent intended access controls by directly accessing the tianti-module-admin/user/skin/list endpoint. The flaw stems from improper implementation of access control mechanisms within the application's controller layer, specifically in the controller\usercontroller.java file where the /skin/list request path is mapped to the skinList function without adequate authorization validation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic lack of proper authentication and authorization checks within the web application's routing system. When users navigate to the specific endpoint tianti-module-admin/user/skin/list, the application fails to verify whether the authenticated user possesses the necessary privileges to access skin management features. This represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege and demonstrates a failure in the application's access control implementation. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-285, which specifically addresses improper authorization within software systems, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and legitimate credentials for unauthorized access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it provides attackers with unauthorized access to skin management capabilities that typically require administrative privileges. This could enable malicious actors to modify the application's visual appearance, potentially leading to defacement or the deployment of malicious code through skin files. The vulnerability affects all authenticated users who can access the application, making it particularly dangerous as it requires minimal effort to exploit once an attacker has valid credentials. The lack of authorization checks creates a persistent backdoor that remains active for any user who can authenticate to the system, regardless of their role or assigned permissions.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper access control checks within the controller layer where the skinList function is invoked. The recommended approach involves adding authorization validation before executing any skin management operations, ensuring that only users with appropriate administrative privileges can access the skin listing functionality. Security measures should include implementing role-based access control mechanisms that verify user permissions against predefined access control lists. Additionally, the application should enforce proper input validation and implement comprehensive logging of access attempts to detect unauthorized access patterns. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring solutions to detect anomalous access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The fix requires modification of the controller\usercontroller.java file to include proper authorization checks that align with industry standards for secure application development and the principle of least privilege enforcement.