CVE-2020-23359 in WeBid
Summary
by MITRE • 01/28/2021
WeBid 1.2.2 admin/newuser.php has an issue with password rechecking during registration because it uses a loose comparison to check the identicalness of two passwords. Two non-identical passwords can still bypass the check.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-23359 affects WeBid version 1.2.2 and specifically targets the administrative user registration functionality located in the admin/newuser.php file. This issue represents a critical security flaw that undermines the fundamental integrity of the application's user authentication system. The vulnerability stems from improper password validation logic that fails to properly enforce password consistency during the user registration process, creating a potential pathway for unauthorized access and privilege escalation.
The technical flaw manifests through the implementation of loose comparison operators in the password rechecking mechanism. When administrators attempt to create new user accounts through the administrative interface, the system employs a comparison function that does not perform strict type checking. This loose comparison allows attackers to craft password inputs that, while not identical in value, evaluate as equal due to PHP's type juggling behavior. The vulnerability specifically relates to PHP's comparison operators where certain string inputs can be interpreted as equivalent when using the == operator instead of the === operator. This weakness enables attackers to bypass the password confirmation step by providing two different password values that, through PHP's implicit type conversion, appear identical to the system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential bypass to potentially enable complete administrative control over the WeBid application. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can create administrative user accounts with predetermined passwords, effectively gaining unauthorized access to the entire administrative interface. This compromise allows for full manipulation of the application's configuration, user management, content modification, and potentially leads to data exfiltration or system-wide compromise. The vulnerability affects the authentication and access control mechanisms, directly violating security principles outlined in the CWE-284 access control weakness category where improper access control allows unauthorized users to perform privileged actions. Furthermore, this issue aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 legitimate credentials, as it enables adversaries to obtain valid administrative credentials through manipulation of the registration process rather than through brute force or social engineering attacks.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires minimal technical skill and can be accomplished through simple input manipulation techniques. Attackers need only to craft password inputs that will pass the loose comparison check while maintaining different actual values. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by attackers with limited technical expertise. Organizations running WeBid 1.2.2 should immediately implement mitigations including code-level fixes to enforce strict comparison operators, proper input validation, and comprehensive security testing of authentication mechanisms. The recommended solution involves replacing all loose comparison operators with strict equality checks throughout the application's password validation logic, ensuring that password inputs undergo proper type checking and validation before being accepted as valid matches. Additionally, implementing proper logging mechanisms for registration attempts and monitoring for anomalous credential creation patterns can help detect exploitation attempts and provide forensic evidence for incident response activities.