CVE-2018-3783 in flintcms
Summary
by MITRE
A privilege escalation detected in flintcms versions <= 1.1.9 allows account takeover due to blind MongoDB injection in password reset.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/16/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-3783 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within FlintCMS versions 1.1.9 and earlier, exposing systems to account takeover scenarios through a sophisticated blind mongodb injection technique during the password reset functionality. This vulnerability specifically targets the password reset mechanism, which serves as a critical recovery pathway for user accounts and represents a prime target for attackers seeking unauthorized access to user credentials and system resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the password reset endpoint of the CMS platform. When users initiate a password reset request, the system processes user-provided identifiers to locate corresponding accounts in the mongodb database. However, the application fails to properly escape or validate user input before incorporating it into database queries, creating an environment where malicious actors can inject arbitrary mongodb commands through the reset process. This blind injection occurs because the application does not return direct database query results to the user interface, making it difficult for attackers to immediately verify successful injection attempts but still allowing for complete database manipulation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple credential theft, as successful exploitation enables attackers to escalate privileges and assume full administrative control over user accounts within the CMS environment. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can not only reset passwords for arbitrary user accounts but can also potentially access sensitive user data, modify content, and establish persistent access points within the system. The blind nature of the injection means that attackers can perform extensive database operations without immediate detection, potentially allowing them to extract user credentials, modify database schemas, or even execute arbitrary code on the underlying system if the database server has elevated privileges.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-94, which describes the weakness of executing arbitrary code or commands, and specifically relates to CWE-917, which addresses the weakness of insufficient input validation. The attack vector follows patterns consistent with the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques, particularly those involving credential access and defense evasion. The vulnerability demonstrates a critical failure in the principle of least privilege, where user input directly influences database operations without proper sanitization, creating an attack surface that allows for complete account compromise and potential system infiltration.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-3783 require immediate implementation of proper input validation and parameterized queries within the password reset functionality. Organizations should implement strict input sanitization measures that prevent mongodb injection by properly escaping user-provided data before database processing. The most effective remediation involves upgrading to FlintCMS version 1.1.10 or later, which includes patched implementations of the password reset mechanism with proper database query parameterization. Additionally, organizations should implement comprehensive monitoring of password reset activities, establish rate limiting for reset requests, and conduct regular security assessments of database interaction points to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other system components. Network segmentation and database access controls should also be reinforced to limit potential damage from successful exploitation attempts.