CVE-2020-21124 in UReport
Summary
by MITRE • 09/16/2021
UReport 2.2.9 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code due to a lack of access control to the designer page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/19/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-21124 affects UReport version 2.2.9, a reporting and data visualization platform that enables users to create and manage reports through a web interface. This critical security flaw stems from insufficient access control mechanisms within the application's designer page functionality, creating a pathway for unauthorized individuals to execute arbitrary code on the affected system. The vulnerability represents a severe authorization bypass issue that directly compromises the integrity and confidentiality of the reporting environment.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the absence of proper authentication and authorization checks on the designer page components. When users attempt to access the designer functionality, the application fails to verify whether the requesting entity possesses the necessary privileges to perform administrative operations. This weakness allows attackers to manipulate the application's access control mechanisms and gain elevated privileges without proper credentials. The flaw enables remote code execution through the designer interface, where attackers can inject malicious code that gets executed within the context of the web application's privileges.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on UReport for business intelligence and reporting operations. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can gain full administrative control over the reporting platform, potentially leading to data exfiltration, system compromise, and disruption of critical business processes. The impact extends beyond immediate code execution capabilities, as compromised access to the designer page may allow attackers to modify existing reports, create new malicious reports, or establish persistent backdoors within the system. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where the reporting platform contains sensitive business data or integrates with critical enterprise systems.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches provided by the vendor, implementing network segmentation to limit access to the reporting platform, and enforcing strict access controls on the designer page functionality. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues in software systems, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious code through the compromised designer interface. Additional protective measures include implementing web application firewalls, conducting regular security assessments, and establishing monitoring protocols to detect unauthorized access attempts to sensitive administrative interfaces. Organizations should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication and role-based access controls to further reduce the attack surface and prevent unauthorized access to critical system components.