CVE-2018-20641 in Entrepreneur Job Portal Script
Summary
by MITRE
PHP Scripts Mall Entrepreneur Job Portal Script 3.0.1 has Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) via the Edit Profile feature.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/03/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-20641 affects the PHP Scripts Mall Entrepreneur Job Portal Script version 3.0.1, specifically within its Edit Profile functionality. This represents a critical security flaw that allows attackers to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users without their knowledge or consent. The vulnerability stems from the absence of proper CSRF protection mechanisms within the profile editing workflow, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by malicious actors to manipulate user account settings.
Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities occur when a web application fails to validate that requests originate from legitimate sources. In this case, the Edit Profile feature does not implement anti-CSRF tokens or other protective measures that would verify the authenticity of requests submitted by users. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery flaws in web applications. Attackers can craft malicious web pages or emails that, when visited by an authenticated user, automatically submit requests to modify profile information without the user's awareness.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple profile modifications, as it can potentially lead to more severe consequences including unauthorized access to user accounts, data theft, or account takeovers. When users navigate to malicious sites while authenticated to the job portal, their browsers automatically submit requests that modify their profile details, which could include changing email addresses, passwords, or other sensitive account information. This type of attack aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.002, which involves credential access through spearphishing with links, where attackers exploit web application vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to user accounts.
The exploitation of this CSRF vulnerability typically involves creating a malicious HTML page containing embedded requests that target the vulnerable profile editing endpoint. When an authenticated user visits this page, their browser automatically submits the forged requests to the target application, effectively performing actions without user consent. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects the core user management functionality of the job portal, potentially allowing attackers to gain persistent access to user accounts and compromise sensitive employment-related information. Organizations should implement comprehensive CSRF protection measures including unique tokens for each user session, proper request validation, and adherence to security best practices outlined in OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines to prevent such attacks from succeeding.