CVE-2020-10116 in cPanel
Summary
by MITRE
cPanel before 84.0.20 allows attackers to bypass intended restrictions on features and demo accounts via WebDisk UAPI calls (SEC-541).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/17/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-10116 affects cPanel versions prior to 84.0.20 and represents a critical authorization bypass flaw that undermines the security controls designed to protect sensitive features and demo accounts. This issue specifically targets the WebDisk UAPI (Unified API) functionality within the cPanel administration interface, where attackers can exploit improper access controls to gain unauthorized privileges. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of user permissions when processing WebDisk API requests, allowing malicious actors to circumvent intended restrictions that should prevent unauthorized access to restricted features and demo account functionalities.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves the WebDisk UAPI endpoint failing to properly verify whether the requesting user possesses adequate permissions to perform specific operations within the cPanel environment. When legitimate users attempt to access restricted features or demo accounts through WebDisk calls, the system does not adequately validate the user's authorization level, resulting in a privilege escalation scenario. This weakness enables attackers to execute operations that should be restricted to administrators or specific user roles, potentially allowing them to manipulate system configurations, access restricted data, or perform actions typically reserved for privileged users. The vulnerability operates at the API level, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through automated tools and does not require direct user interaction beyond initial authentication.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can lead to complete system compromise when combined with other attack vectors. An attacker who successfully exploits this flaw can potentially gain access to sensitive system information, manipulate user accounts, and perform administrative functions that should remain restricted. The exposure of demo accounts through this vulnerability is particularly concerning as these accounts often contain sensitive data or configurations that should remain isolated from regular user access. This vulnerability affects the core authentication and authorization mechanisms within cPanel, potentially allowing attackers to establish persistent access to compromised systems and escalate their privileges further within the environment. The impact is amplified when considering that cPanel is widely deployed across hosting environments, making this vulnerability attractive to threat actors seeking to compromise multiple systems simultaneously.
Organizations should immediately implement the vendor-provided patch for cPanel version 84.0.20 or higher to address this vulnerability. The mitigation strategy should also include monitoring for unauthorized API access attempts and implementing additional access controls around WebDisk functionality. Security teams should conduct thorough audits of user permissions and access logs to identify potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and privilege escalation. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and API rate limiting to reduce the attack surface and prevent automated exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments of API endpoints and continuous monitoring of system access patterns are essential to detect and respond to similar authorization bypass vulnerabilities that may exist in other components of the cPanel infrastructure.