CVE-2019-18785 in SuiteCRM
Summary
by MITRE
SuiteCRM 7.10.x prior to 7.10.21 and 7.11.x prior to 7.11.9 mishandles API access tokens and credentials.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/04/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-18785 affects SuiteCRM versions prior to 7.10.21 and 7.11.9, representing a critical security flaw in the platform's API access token and credential handling mechanisms. This issue stems from inadequate validation and management of authentication tokens within the SuiteCRM application, creating potential pathways for unauthorized access to sensitive business data and system resources. The vulnerability specifically targets the application programming interface components that govern user authentication and authorization, making it particularly dangerous for organizations relying on SuiteCRM for customer relationship management and business operations.
The technical flaw manifests in the improper handling of API access tokens and credentials, where the system fails to adequately validate or sanitize authentication tokens before processing API requests. This weakness allows attackers to potentially exploit the authentication mechanism through various attack vectors including token reuse, credential leakage, or manipulation of authentication parameters. The vulnerability falls under the category of insufficient authentication validation as classified by CWE-287, where the system does not properly verify the authenticity of credentials or tokens presented during API access attempts. The flaw enables attackers to gain unauthorized access to CRM data, potentially leading to data breaches, unauthorized modifications, and complete system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can enable attackers to perform privilege escalation attacks, access sensitive customer data, manipulate business records, and potentially gain administrative control over the SuiteCRM instance. Organizations using affected versions may experience significant security breaches where attackers can exploit the weak token handling to impersonate legitimate users or gain system-level privileges. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of business data stored within SuiteCRM, potentially leading to financial losses, regulatory compliance violations, and reputational damage. Attackers can leverage this weakness to conduct prolonged surveillance of business operations, exfiltrate sensitive information, or disrupt critical business processes that depend on CRM functionality.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to SuiteCRM versions 7.10.21 or 7.11.9 to remediate this vulnerability, as these releases contain patches addressing the improper token handling mechanisms. System administrators should implement additional monitoring of API access patterns and authentication logs to detect potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should review and strengthen their authentication policies, ensuring proper token rotation and validation procedures are in place. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 which covers valid accounts with compromised credentials, and T1566 which addresses phishing and social engineering attacks that could exploit such authentication weaknesses. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation, API rate limiting, and additional authentication layers to reduce the attack surface and limit potential damage from credential compromise.