CVE-2020-27408 in Community Edition
Summary
by MITRE • 12/04/2020
OpenSIS Community Edition through 7.6 is affected by incorrect access controls for the file ResetUserInfo.php that allow an unauthenticated attacker to change the password of arbitrary users.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/12/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-27408 affects OpenSIS Community Edition versions through 7.6 and represents a critical access control flaw that undermines the system's authentication mechanisms. This issue resides within the ResetUserInfo.php file which is designed to handle user password reset functionality. The flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to manipulate the password reset process and change credentials for any user account within the system without proper authorization. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation and authentication checks within the password reset endpoint, creating an exploitable path for malicious actors to compromise user accounts and potentially gain broader access to the educational management system.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability manifests as an improper access control implementation that violates fundamental security principles of authentication and authorization. The ResetUserInfo.php script fails to verify whether the request originates from an authenticated user or if the password reset request is legitimate and properly authorized. This weakness aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues in software systems. The flaw operates at the application layer where the system should enforce strict access controls to ensure that only authorized users can perform sensitive operations such as password changes. The absence of proper session validation, token verification, or user authentication checks creates a direct pathway for attackers to submit crafted requests that bypass normal security controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential compromise, as it can lead to complete system infiltration and data breaches within educational institutions using OpenSIS. An attacker could systematically target user accounts to gain unauthorized access to student records, grade information, administrative functions, and other sensitive educational data. The vulnerability particularly affects schools and educational organizations that rely on OpenSIS for managing their student information systems, potentially exposing personal data of thousands of students and staff members. This flaw enables attackers to escalate privileges through account takeover, allowing them to perform actions such as modifying grades, accessing confidential communications, and potentially disrupting educational operations. The lack of authentication requirements for password resets makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited repeatedly without detection, creating persistent access points for malicious actors.
Security mitigations for CVE-2020-27408 should focus on implementing proper authentication and authorization controls within the ResetUserInfo.php endpoint. Organizations should immediately apply the vendor-provided patch or upgrade to a version that addresses this access control weakness. The system should enforce robust session management and require valid authentication tokens for any password reset operations. Additionally, implementing rate limiting and monitoring for password reset requests can help detect and prevent automated exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper access control implementation and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers legitimate credentials usage. Organizations should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts and establishing comprehensive monitoring of user account activities to detect unauthorized access patterns. The fix should include proper input validation, authentication verification, and logging of all password reset attempts to maintain audit trails and support forensic analysis in case of security incidents.