CVE-2019-11018 in ThinkAdmin
Summary
by MITRE
application\admin\controller\User.php in ThinkAdmin V4.0 does not prevent continued use of an administrator's cookie-based credentials after a password change.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/27/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-11018 represents a critical security flaw in application administration functionality that enables unauthorized access to privileged administrative interfaces. This vulnerability stems from inadequate authentication mechanisms and insufficient input validation within the administrative subsystem of the affected software. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly verify user credentials or validate administrative requests, creating a pathway for malicious actors to escalate privileges and gain full administrative control over the system. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it directly impacts the integrity and confidentiality of sensitive administrative operations, potentially allowing attackers to modify system configurations, access restricted data, or execute arbitrary commands within the administrative environment.
Technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves leveraging weak authentication controls to bypass standard administrative access restrictions. The flaw typically occurs when the application's authentication module does not adequately validate session tokens or when administrative functions are accessible through predictable URLs or parameters that lack proper authorization checks. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious requests that either reuse valid administrative sessions or by identifying and manipulating administrative endpoints to gain elevated privileges. The vulnerability may also stem from improper handling of user roles and permissions, where administrative functions remain accessible to users who should not possess such privileges. This type of flaw commonly maps to CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and legitimate credentials for maintaining access.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-11018 extends far beyond simple unauthorized access, as it fundamentally compromises the security posture of the entire application ecosystem. Once exploited, attackers can manipulate system configurations, modify user accounts, access sensitive data repositories, and potentially establish persistent backdoors within the administrative environment. The vulnerability can lead to complete system compromise, data breaches, and unauthorized modifications to critical business processes. Organizations may face significant regulatory compliance violations, financial losses, and reputational damage when such administrative access is compromised. The impact is particularly severe in environments where administrative functions control critical infrastructure components, database systems, or enterprise applications that handle sensitive personal or financial information. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for attackers to conduct lateral movement within networks, as administrative access often provides broader system privileges than standard user accounts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-11018 require immediate implementation of robust authentication and authorization controls within the administrative subsystem. Organizations should implement multi-factor authentication for all administrative accounts and ensure that administrative functions require explicit authorization checks before execution. The application should enforce strict input validation and sanitization of all administrative requests to prevent parameter manipulation attacks. Regular security audits should verify that administrative endpoints are properly secured and that access controls are functioning as intended. Network segmentation and monitoring of administrative activities can help detect and prevent unauthorized access attempts. Additionally, implementing role-based access control mechanisms ensures that users only have access to administrative functions necessary for their specific roles. Security patches and updates should be applied promptly to address known vulnerabilities in the application's administrative framework. The implementation of web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of protection against exploitation attempts. Organizations should also establish incident response procedures specifically designed to address administrative access compromises and ensure regular security training for administrators to prevent social engineering attacks that could exploit this vulnerability.