CVE-2020-35759 in BloofoxCMS
Summary
by MITRE • 06/16/2021
bloofoxCMS 0.5.2.1 is infected with a CSRF Attack that leads to an attacker editing any file content (Locally/Remotely).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/21/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-35759 affects bloofoxCMS version 0.5.2.1 and represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw that enables attackers to manipulate file content on the affected system. This vulnerability resides within the content management system's lack of proper anti-CSRF protection mechanisms, allowing malicious actors to execute unauthorized modifications to files stored locally or remotely on the server. The flaw specifically targets the file editing functionality of the CMS, which operates without sufficient validation of request origins or authentication tokens that would normally prevent unauthorized modifications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the absence of anti-CSRF tokens in the file editing endpoints of the bloofoxCMS application. When users navigate to file editing pages, the system fails to implement proper token-based validation mechanisms that would ensure requests originate from legitimate administrative sessions. This absence creates a pathway for attackers to craft malicious requests that appear to come from authenticated users, enabling them to modify any file content within the system's file structure. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited through social engineering techniques where victims are tricked into visiting malicious websites that automatically submit forged requests to the vulnerable CMS.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple file modification capabilities, as it provides attackers with persistent access to compromise the entire system. An attacker who successfully exploits this CSRF vulnerability can modify critical system files, configuration settings, or even inject malicious code into web pages, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The local and remote exploitation capabilities mean that attackers can target installations regardless of network proximity, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous for organizations that do not properly segment their networks or implement additional security controls. This flaw directly violates the principle of least privilege and can result in unauthorized data manipulation, service disruption, or even complete system takeover depending on the permissions granted to the CMS user accounts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-35759 should focus on implementing robust anti-CSRF protection mechanisms within the bloofoxCMS application. Organizations should immediately upgrade to a patched version of the CMS if available, or implement compensating controls such as proper token validation, origin checking, and referer header validation. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against unauthorized script execution, while network segmentation and firewall rules can limit the attack surface. According to CWE standards, this vulnerability maps to CWE-352 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery, and aligns with ATT&CK techniques such as T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566 for phishing to achieve initial access. Regular security auditing of web applications should include validation of CSRF protection mechanisms, and organizations should implement automated scanning tools to detect similar vulnerabilities in their web applications. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date software components and implementing proper input validation and output encoding practices to prevent exploitation of similar weaknesses in other application components.