CVE-2020-26041 in Hoosk
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Hoosk CmS v1.8.0. There is an Remote Code Execution vulnerability in install/index.php
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/15/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-26041 affects Hoosk CmS version 1.8.0 and represents a critical remote code execution flaw located within the install/index.php file. This type of vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on the target system remotely without requiring authentication or prior access. The flaw exists in the installation script which is typically used during the initial setup of the content management system, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited during the deployment phase when systems are often less secured.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and sanitization within the installation process. Attackers can manipulate parameters passed to the install/index.php script to inject malicious code that gets executed on the server. This represents a classic path traversal and code injection vulnerability where user-controllable inputs are directly incorporated into server-side execution without adequate security controls. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-94 which describes "Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')" and demonstrates how insecure parameter handling can lead to complete system compromise. From an attack perspective, this flaw maps to ATT&CK technique T1190 "Exploit Public-Facing Application" and T1059.001 "Command and Scripting Interpreter" as it allows for remote exploitation followed by command execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides attackers with complete control over the affected system. Once exploited, an attacker can execute commands with the privileges of the web server process, potentially leading to data theft, system compromise, or further network penetration. The vulnerability affects the entire installation process of Hoosk CmS, meaning that any organization deploying this CMS during the installation phase could be compromised. This creates a window of opportunity for attackers to gain persistent access to the system, establish backdoors, or use the compromised server as a launch point for attacking other systems within the network infrastructure.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including patching to the latest version of Hoosk CmS where the vulnerability has been addressed. The installation script should be secured by restricting access to authorized personnel only and implementing proper input validation. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be configured to limit access to installation scripts and web server ports. Additionally, organizations should conduct immediate vulnerability assessments to identify any potential exploitation attempts and implement monitoring solutions to detect suspicious activities. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of validating all inputs in web applications and the necessity of following secure coding practices throughout the development lifecycle to prevent such dangerous flaws from being introduced into production systems.