CVE-2020-21141 in iCMS
Summary
by MITRE • 11/13/2021
iCMS v7.0.15 was discovered to contain a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) via /admincp.php?app=members&do=add.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/16/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-21141 affects iCMS version 7.0.15 and represents a critical Cross-Site Request Forgery flaw that compromises the integrity of administrative functions within the content management system. This vulnerability specifically manifests in the administrative control panel at the endpoint /admincp.php?app=members&do=add, where unauthorized users can manipulate the system through forged requests originating from malicious websites or applications. The flaw stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF protection mechanisms in the affected administrative interface, allowing attackers to execute unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated administrators without their knowledge or consent.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic CSRF attack vector where the application fails to validate the origin of requests made to the member management functionality. When an administrator visits a malicious page containing crafted HTML forms or JavaScript code, the browser automatically submits requests to the vulnerable endpoint without requiring additional authentication or validation. This occurs because the application relies solely on session cookies for authentication without implementing anti-CSRF tokens, referer checks, or origin validation mechanisms that would normally prevent such unauthorized operations. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous as it targets the member management module, which could allow attackers to add new users, modify existing accounts, or potentially escalate privileges within the system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized user creation, as it provides attackers with a potential pathway for privilege escalation and persistent access within the iCMS environment. An attacker who successfully exploits this CSRF vulnerability can establish backdoor accounts with administrative privileges, manipulate user permissions, or gain access to sensitive member data through the compromised administrative interface. The attack requires minimal technical expertise to execute, as it leverages the trust relationship between the browser and the vulnerable application, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that rely on iCMS for content management. The vulnerability also poses significant risk to the integrity of the application's user database and could potentially lead to data breaches or unauthorized content modifications.
Organizations utilizing iCMS v7.0.15 should implement immediate mitigations including the deployment of anti-CSRF tokens for all administrative functions, implementation of proper referer header validation, and enforcement of origin-based request verification. The recommended security controls align with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities and emphasizes the importance of implementing robust anti-CSRF mechanisms. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing the principle of least privilege for administrative functions and ensure that all user sessions are properly validated through multiple authentication factors. The mitigation strategy should also include monitoring for suspicious administrative activities and implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block CSRF attack patterns. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1566.002 which covers "Phishing with Pretext" and T1078.004 which addresses "Valid Accounts: Default Accounts" as attackers could potentially use the compromised administrative accounts to maintain persistent access. Regular security assessments and patch management procedures should be implemented to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future versions of the software.