CVE-2019-19289 in XHQ
Summary
by MITRE • 12/15/2020
A vulnerability has been identified in XHQ (All Versions < 6.1). The web interface could allow a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attack if an unsuspecting user is tricked into accessing a malicious link.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/17/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-19289 affects XHQ software versions prior to 6.1 and represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw in the web interface component. This vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of request origins and lack of proper anti-CSRF token implementation within the application's web forms and API endpoints. The flaw allows attackers to exploit user sessions and execute unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users without their knowledge or consent.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability occurs when the web application fails to verify that requests originate from legitimate sources within the same site. In XHQ's case, the absence of anti-CSRF tokens or proper origin validation mechanisms means that malicious actors can craft specially crafted requests that, when clicked by an authenticated user, execute unintended operations within the application context. This typically involves embedding malicious requests within images, links, or forms that users unknowingly interact with, leveraging the user's existing authentication session.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or manipulation. An attacker could potentially perform administrative actions, modify user permissions, delete critical data, or access sensitive system information. The attack vector relies heavily on social engineering techniques where users are tricked into visiting malicious websites or clicking on compromised links, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users frequently interact with external content. The vulnerability affects all versions below 6.1, indicating that the developers had not yet implemented proper CSRF protection mechanisms in earlier releases.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate patching to version 6.1 or later where the CSRF protection mechanisms have been properly implemented. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures such as implementing proper anti-CSRF tokens for all state-changing operations, validating request origins, and employing Content Security Policy headers to prevent unauthorized script execution. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering tactics including spearphishing with a malicious link. Organizations should also consider implementing user awareness training to recognize potentially malicious links and establish monitoring procedures to detect unauthorized access patterns that might indicate successful exploitation attempts.