CVE-2020-24914 in QCubed
Summary
by MITRE • 03/04/2021
A PHP object injection bug in profile.php in qcubed (all versions including 3.1.1) unserializes the untrusted data of the POST-variable "strProfileData" and allows an unauthenticated attacker to execute code via a crafted POST request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/28/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-24914 represents a critical PHP object injection flaw within the qcubed framework version 3.1.1 and all preceding releases. This security defect resides in the profile.php script where user-supplied data from the POST parameter strProfileData undergoes unserialization without proper validation or sanitization. The flaw stems from the framework's failure to implement adequate input validation mechanisms before processing potentially malicious serialized data structures, creating an exploitable condition that allows remote code execution.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-502, which specifically addresses deserialization of untrusted data as a security weakness. When an attacker crafts a malicious POST request containing specially formatted serialized PHP objects within the strProfileData parameter, the application's unserialization process executes arbitrary code on the server. This occurs because PHP's unserialize() function processes the serialized data and reconstructs objects, potentially triggering magic methods like __wakeup() or __destruct() that can be manipulated to perform unauthorized operations. The attack vector requires only an unauthenticated HTTP POST request, making exploitation accessible to any remote user without requiring prior authentication or privileged access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it enables attackers to potentially gain complete control over the affected server. An attacker could leverage this flaw to upload malicious files, establish backdoors, extract sensitive data, or use the compromised system as a launch point for further attacks within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability's persistence across all versions of qcubed indicates a fundamental design flaw in the framework's data handling architecture, affecting organizations that have not yet upgraded to patched versions. This represents a significant risk to web applications relying on qcubed, particularly those handling user input or implementing profile management functionality.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including disabling the vulnerable functionality, implementing strict input validation for all user-supplied data, and applying the latest patches from qcubed developers. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can help detect and block malicious POST requests containing suspicious serialized data patterns. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.007 for scripting languages and T1566 for malicious file execution, highlighting the multi-layered attack surface this vulnerability creates. Additionally, implementing proper output encoding and using parameterized queries can help prevent secondary exploitation vectors, while regular security audits should verify that no other components within the application architecture exhibit similar deserialization vulnerabilities.