CVE-2019-14722 in CentOS Web Panel
Summary
by MITRE • 01/25/2023
In CentOS-WebPanel.com (aka CWP) CentOS Web Panel 0.9.8.851, an insecure object reference allows an attacker to delete an e-mail forwarding destination from a victim's account via an attacker account.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/19/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-14722 affects CentOS Web Panel version 0.9.8.851, a widely used web hosting control panel for managing CentOS servers. This security flaw represents a critical authorization bypass issue that undermines the integrity of email management functions within the panel. The vulnerability specifically targets the email forwarding configuration mechanisms, allowing unauthorized users to manipulate email forwarding destinations belonging to other accounts. This represents a significant compromise of user data and system security, as email forwarding configurations often serve as critical communication pathways for system administrators and end users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and insufficient access control mechanisms within the email forwarding management interface. The insecure object reference occurs when the system fails to properly verify that the authenticated user has legitimate authorization to modify email forwarding configurations belonging to other accounts. This flaw allows an attacker with access to a legitimate account to manipulate the email forwarding destination parameters through direct object manipulation or parameter tampering. The vulnerability operates at the application logic level, where the system does not enforce proper ownership verification before executing modification operations on email forwarding records. According to CWE classification, this corresponds to CWE-284: Improper Access Control, which specifically addresses inadequate access control mechanisms that allow unauthorized users to perform operations on objects they should not be able to access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it enables attackers to disrupt communication channels for affected users and potentially gain further access to system resources. An attacker could delete email forwarding destinations to prevent legitimate users from receiving important system notifications, create unauthorized forwarding rules to intercept communications, or completely disable email services for targeted accounts. This vulnerability directly impacts the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of email services within the hosting environment, potentially affecting multiple users simultaneously if the compromised account has elevated privileges. The attack vector requires minimal technical expertise, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by attackers with basic knowledge of web application security principles. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004: Valid Accounts, as it leverages legitimate user accounts to perform unauthorized operations, and T1566.001: Phishing, as attackers may need to obtain valid credentials through social engineering or other means to exploit this weakness.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper access control validation and input sanitization mechanisms within the application. System administrators should immediately update to the patched version of CentOS Web Panel or apply the vendor-provided security patches to address this issue. The implementation of proper object ownership verification should be enforced before any modification operations are permitted, ensuring that users can only access and modify resources belonging to their own accounts or those for which they have explicit authorization. Additionally, the system should implement comprehensive logging of email configuration changes to enable detection of unauthorized access attempts and provide audit trails for security investigations. Network-level monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious patterns of access to email management functions, particularly when operations occur from unusual IP addresses or at irregular times. Organizations should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts and regularly review user permissions to minimize the impact of compromised credentials. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper access control implementation in web applications, as inadequate authorization checks can lead to severe data integrity compromises and unauthorized system access.