CVE-2019-7346 in ZoneMinder
Summary
by MITRE
A CSRF check issue exists in ZoneMinder through 1.32.3 as whenever a CSRF check fails, a callback function is called displaying a "Try again" button, which allows resending the failed request, making the CSRF attack successful.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/06/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-7346 represents a critical weakness in ZoneMinder version 1.32.3 and earlier, where the implementation of Cross-Site Request Forgery protection mechanisms contains a fundamental flaw that undermines its effectiveness. This issue resides in the application's handling of failed CSRF validation attempts, creating a dangerous loophole that adversaries can exploit to bypass security controls. The vulnerability stems from the application's design decision to provide users with a "Try again" button when CSRF validation fails, which inadvertently enables attackers to successfully execute CSRF attacks by resending malicious requests through this recovery mechanism.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's state management and validation flow where failed CSRF checks do not properly terminate the request process or invalidate the session state. Instead, the system maintains the ability to replay requests through the callback function that displays the recovery interface, effectively neutralizing the CSRF protection. This behavior aligns with CWE-352, which defines Cross-Site Request Forgery as a vulnerability where the application fails to validate that requests originate from the intended source. The flaw essentially transforms a defensive mechanism into an attack vector, as the system's attempt to provide user-friendly error recovery becomes a security weakness.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching for organizations relying on ZoneMinder for video surveillance and security monitoring. Attackers can leverage this weakness to perform unauthorized actions within the application, potentially gaining access to sensitive video feeds, modifying system configurations, or even executing administrative commands. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where ZoneMinder is used for critical security infrastructure, as it could allow unauthorized individuals to manipulate surveillance systems without proper authentication. This risk is amplified in scenarios where the application is accessible over the internet or in environments where users may not be fully aware of the security implications of clicking recovery buttons.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate attention from system administrators and security teams responsible for ZoneMinder deployments. The most effective approach involves implementing proper request validation that prevents replay attacks by ensuring that failed CSRF checks result in complete session invalidation rather than allowing request resubmission. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security layers such as anti-CSRF tokens that are strictly validated and time-bound, ensuring that tokens cannot be reused even if they are intercepted. The remediation process should include updating to patched versions of ZoneMinder where the callback mechanism has been properly secured to prevent automatic request resubmission. Additionally, implementing network-level controls such as web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious request patterns, and conducting comprehensive security testing to ensure that similar vulnerabilities do not exist in other parts of the application's codebase.
This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of understanding how error handling and user recovery mechanisms can inadvertently create security weaknesses. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under privilege escalation and credential access techniques, as successful exploitation allows attackers to perform actions with the privileges of authenticated users. Security teams should also consider implementing comprehensive logging and monitoring of authentication and authorization events to detect potential exploitation attempts. The incident underscores the necessity of thorough security reviews during application development, particularly focusing on how applications handle validation failures and user recovery scenarios, as these often represent overlooked attack surfaces that require careful consideration of both functional requirements and security implications.