CVE-2019-8902 in iCMS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in idreamsoft iCMS through 7.0.14. A CSRF vulnerability can delete users' articles via the public/api.php?app=user URI.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/11/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-8902 represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within the idreamsoft iCMS content management system version 7.0.14 and earlier. This vulnerability resides in the public/api.php?app=user endpoint which exposes functionality that allows unauthorized deletion of user articles through maliciously crafted requests. The flaw stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF token validation mechanisms within the application's user management API interface. Attackers can exploit this weakness by tricking authenticated users into visiting malicious websites or clicking on compromised links that automatically submit deletion requests to the vulnerable CMS endpoint. The vulnerability specifically targets the user article management functionality, making it particularly dangerous for content creators and administrators who rely on the system for publishing and managing their digital content.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental failure in the application's security architecture, as it lacks the necessary token validation that would normally prevent unauthorized requests from being processed. According to CWE-352, this vulnerability maps directly to Cross-Site Request Forgery, where the application fails to verify the authenticity of requests originating from the same user agent. The attack vector operates through the manipulation of HTTP requests that are automatically executed by the user's browser without their knowledge or consent. The affected URI public/api.php?app=user represents a critical API endpoint that lacks proper session validation or CSRF token verification, allowing attackers to perform destructive actions on behalf of authenticated users. This flaw represents a significant deviation from secure coding practices that mandate the implementation of anti-CSRF mechanisms for any state-changing operations within web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data loss, as it compromises the integrity and availability of user-generated content within the CMS environment. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can delete articles, posts, or other user-created content without authorization, potentially causing significant damage to the website's content repository. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in multi-user environments where administrators may be tricked into performing destructive actions while browsing compromised websites. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with T1213.002 - Data from Information Repositories, as it enables unauthorized access to and manipulation of stored content. The attack scenario typically involves social engineering tactics where users are directed to malicious sites that contain hidden requests to the vulnerable API endpoint, making it particularly difficult to detect and prevent through traditional security measures.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper CSRF protection mechanisms within the iCMS application. The most effective approach involves implementing anti-CSRF tokens for all state-changing operations, particularly those related to user account management and content manipulation. Organizations should ensure that every request to the public/api.php?app=user endpoint requires validation of a unique, unpredictable token that ties the request to the user's current session. Additionally, implementing proper HTTP headers such as Content Security Policy and SameSite cookie attributes can provide additional layers of protection against CSRF attacks. The vulnerability also highlights the need for regular security audits of web applications, particularly those handling user-generated content. System administrators should implement monitoring and logging of API access patterns to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include updating to the latest version of iCMS where this vulnerability has been addressed, or implementing custom patches that enforce proper CSRF token validation for all user management operations. Regular security training for developers on secure coding practices and the importance of CSRF protection mechanisms is essential to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future releases.