CVE-2019-11078 in MKCMS
Summary
by MITRE
MKCMS V5.0 has a CSRF vulnerability to add a new admin user via the ucenter/userinfo.php URI.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/28/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-11078 affects MKCMS V5.0, a content management system that suffers from a cross-site request forgery flaw in its user management functionality. This vulnerability exists within the ucenter/userinfo.php endpoint which allows unauthorized attackers to manipulate the system's administrative user accounts through maliciously crafted requests. The flaw represents a critical security weakness that undermines the integrity of the application's access control mechanisms and could potentially lead to complete system compromise.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF tokens or validation mechanisms within the user management interface. When an administrator visits a malicious website or clicks on a crafted link, the browser automatically submits requests to the vulnerable ucenter/userinfo.php endpoint without requiring re-authentication or token verification. This allows an attacker to programmatically add new administrator accounts to the system, effectively bypassing the normal authentication and authorization controls that should protect sensitive administrative functions. The vulnerability falls under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in software applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted. An attacker who successfully exploits this CSRF flaw can establish persistent administrative access to the MKCMS system, enabling them to modify content, alter user permissions, access sensitive data, and potentially use the compromised system as a pivot point for further attacks within the network. The vulnerability also violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and principle of least authority, as it allows unauthorized users to escalate their privileges without proper authentication. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in web applications where administrative functions are accessible through simple HTTP requests, as demonstrated by the specific URI path ucenter/userinfo.php that serves as the attack vector.
Organizations using MKCMS V5.0 should immediately implement mitigations including the deployment of anti-CSRF tokens for all administrative functions, implementation of proper referer header validation, and enforcement of same-site cookies for critical endpoints. The system should also be updated to the latest available version that addresses this vulnerability, as the manufacturer likely released patches to resolve the CSRF implementation flaw. Security teams should conduct comprehensive audits of all user management endpoints to identify similar vulnerabilities and implement proper input validation and authentication mechanisms. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and T1548 which addresses abuse of privileges, demonstrating how CSRF attacks can be leveraged to establish persistent access and escalate privileges within compromised systems.