CVE-2018-7718 in QPath
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Telexy QPath 5.4.462. A low privileged authenticated user supplying a specially crafted serialized request to AdanitDataService.svc may modify user information, including but not limited to email address, username, and password, of other user accounts. The simplest attack approach is for the attacker to intercept their own password-change request and modify the username before the request reaches the server. Also, changing a victim's email address can have a similar account-takeover consequence.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/11/2020
The vulnerability identified in CVE-2018-7718 represents a critical authorization bypass flaw within the Telexy QPath 5.4.462 application that allows low privileged authenticated users to manipulate user account information across the system. This security weakness stems from insufficient input validation and improper access control mechanisms within the AdanitDataService.svc web service endpoint. The vulnerability specifically affects the serialization process used to handle user data modifications, creating a pathway for attackers to craft malicious requests that can alter account details of other users within the system. The flaw demonstrates a classic case of insufficient privilege validation where the application fails to properly verify that the authenticated user has appropriate authorization rights before executing modifications to user account data.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a sophisticated manipulation of serialized data structures that are processed by the AdanitDataService.svc service. Attackers can intercept legitimate password change requests or similar user modification operations and modify the serialized payload to target different user accounts. This approach leverages the application's trust in serialized data without proper validation of the intended target user. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the data serialization layer, where the application deserializes user input without adequate verification of the user context. The attack vector demonstrates a failure in implementing proper object-oriented security controls and can be categorized under CWE-295 which addresses improper certificate validation and CWE-345 which covers insufficient verification of data authenticity. This flaw enables attackers to perform account takeover operations by simply changing email addresses or passwords of targeted victims, effectively compromising their access to the system.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-7718 extends far beyond simple data modification, as it provides attackers with the capability to completely compromise user accounts within the Telexy QPath environment. When an attacker successfully modifies a victim's email address, they gain the ability to reset passwords through standard recovery mechanisms, effectively taking complete control of the compromised account. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical skill and can be accomplished through interception and modification of network traffic, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that rely on traditional network security measures. This weakness creates a persistent threat that can be leveraged for extended periods, as it does not require elevated privileges or complex attack chains to achieve its objectives. The impact is particularly severe in environments where user account compromise can lead to broader system access or data breaches, as the vulnerability can be used to escalate privileges and move laterally through the network infrastructure.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including strengthening input validation mechanisms, implementing proper access control checks at the serialization layer, and deploying network traffic inspection tools to detect and prevent unauthorized data modification attempts. The recommended approach includes implementing proper user context validation before processing serialized data, enforcing strict authorization checks for all user modification operations, and establishing robust logging and monitoring capabilities to detect suspicious account modification activities. Security measures should also incorporate principle of least privilege enforcement and regular security testing of serialization mechanisms. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and T1531 which addresses account access removal, as attackers can leverage compromised accounts to maintain persistent access to the system. The remediation efforts should focus on implementing comprehensive security controls that address both the immediate vulnerability and prevent similar issues in other parts of the application architecture.