CVE-2019-7930 in Magento
Summary
by MITRE
A file upload restriction bypass exists in Magento 2.1 prior to 2.1.18, Magento 2.2 prior to 2.2.9, Magento 2.3 prior to 2.3.2. An authenticated user with administrator privileges to the import feature can make modifications to a configuration file, resulting in potentially unauthorized removal of file upload restrictions. This can result in arbitrary code execution when a malicious file is then uploaded and executed on the system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/20/2020
This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in Magento e-commerce platforms that allows authenticated administrators to bypass file upload restrictions through configuration file manipulation. The issue affects multiple versions including Magento 2.1.x before 2.1.18, Magento 2.2.x before 2.2.9, and Magento 2.3.x before 2.3.2, making it a widespread concern across the Magento ecosystem. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation mechanisms that permit privileged users to modify import configuration settings, effectively undermining the platform's security controls designed to prevent malicious file uploads.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a configuration file modification attack vector where an authenticated administrator can alter system settings that control file upload restrictions. This flaw operates under the weakness identified as CWE-434, which specifically addresses insecure file upload handling where applications fail to properly validate file types and content. The vulnerability enables an attacker with administrative access to manipulate the import configuration files, removing or weakening the safeguards that normally prevent execution of potentially malicious files such as php scripts, executables, or other dangerous file types.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass full system compromise through arbitrary code execution. When combined with the ability to upload malicious files, this vulnerability creates a complete attack chain that allows adversaries to gain remote code execution capabilities on the affected system. The attack follows the typical pattern described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1190 for exploit public-facing application and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter, where attackers leverage legitimate administrative access to execute malicious payloads. This vulnerability essentially transforms a legitimate administrative function into a weaponized attack vector that can be exploited to establish persistent access or launch further attacks against the network.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement the official patches provided by Magento for the respective affected versions. The mitigation strategy should include immediate patching of all affected systems, followed by comprehensive monitoring for unauthorized configuration changes and file upload activities. Security teams should also implement additional controls such as file type validation at multiple layers, including web server configurations, application-level validation, and network-based intrusion detection systems. The vulnerability highlights the importance of principle of least privilege and proper access controls, as it requires administrative privileges to exploit, emphasizing that organizations should regularly audit administrative user access and implement strict change management procedures for configuration files. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls and file integrity monitoring solutions to detect and prevent unauthorized modifications to critical system files that could enable this type of attack.