CVE-2019-7911 in Magento
Summary
by MITRE
A server-side request forgery (SSRF) vulnerability exists in Magento Open Source prior to 1.9.4.2, and Magento Commerce prior to 1.14.4.2, Magento 2.1 prior to 2.1.18, Magento 2.2 prior to 2.2.9, Magento 2.3 prior to 2.3.2. This can be exploited by an authenticated user with access to the admin panel to manipulate system configuration and execute arbitrary code.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/20/2020
The CVE-2019-7911 vulnerability represents a critical server-side request forgery flaw that affects multiple versions of the Magento e-commerce platform ecosystem. This vulnerability resides within the system configuration management components of Magento Open Source and Commerce editions, creating a pathway for authenticated attackers to manipulate internal system processes. The flaw specifically impacts versions prior to the mentioned patches, making organizations running these older releases particularly susceptible to exploitation. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-918 as a server-side request forgery, which is a well-documented weakness in web applications where untrusted input is used to construct requests that can be processed by the server. The security implications extend beyond simple data manipulation, as this vulnerability can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code on the affected systems, representing a severe escalation of privilege vector.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of system configuration parameters within the Magento admin panel interface. An authenticated user with administrative privileges can craft malicious requests that bypass normal access controls and allow the application to make requests to internal network resources that would otherwise be restricted. This occurs because the application fails to properly validate and sanitize user-supplied input before using it in system configuration operations. The flaw essentially allows an attacker to redirect requests to internal services, potentially accessing sensitive data or system resources that should remain isolated from external access. The vulnerability's exploitation mechanism aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol tunneling and T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, as it enables remote code execution through manipulation of application configuration settings.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it provides attackers with the capability to move laterally within networks and potentially gain full control over affected systems. Once exploited, the vulnerability allows for arbitrary code execution, which can result in complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and persistence mechanisms being established. Organizations using vulnerable Magento versions face significant risk of unauthorized access to their e-commerce infrastructure, potentially leading to financial losses, customer data breaches, and reputational damage. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it requires only administrative access, which is often considered a trusted privilege level within e-commerce environments. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by insiders or through compromised administrative credentials, representing a critical gap in the security posture of affected organizations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-7911 must focus on immediate patching of affected Magento installations to the recommended versions that contain the necessary security fixes. Organizations should implement strict access controls and privilege management to limit administrative access to only essential personnel. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be configured to restrict internal service access from web applications where possible. The implementation of web application firewalls and input validation mechanisms can provide additional layers of protection against exploitation attempts. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual configuration changes or outbound network requests that might indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in the application stack. Organizations should also consider implementing automated patch management processes to ensure timely deployment of security updates across all systems. The remediation efforts should align with security frameworks such as NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001 controls for configuration management and access control to maintain compliance with industry standards.