CVE-2020-3716 in Magento
Summary
by MITRE
Magento versions 2.3.3 and earlier, 2.2.10 and earlier, 1.14.4.3 and earlier, and 1.9.4.3 and earlier have a deserialization of untrusted data vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/30/2020
This vulnerability exists in multiple versions of the Magento e-commerce platform where improper input validation allows attackers to exploit a deserialization flaw in the application's core components. The issue stems from the application's failure to properly sanitize user-supplied data before passing it to the unserialize() function, creating a dangerous attack surface that can be leveraged for remote code execution. The vulnerability affects versions 2.3.3 and earlier, 2.2.10 and earlier, 1.14.4.3 and earlier, and 1.9.4.3 and earlier, representing a significant portion of the Magento ecosystem that was widely deployed across global e-commerce operations. The root cause maps to CWE-502, which specifically addresses the deserialization of untrusted data, a well-known weakness in software security that has been exploited in numerous high-profile attacks. This vulnerability allows attackers to inject malicious serialized objects that, when processed by the vulnerable application, can execute arbitrary code on the target system with the privileges of the web server process.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution to encompass complete system compromise and data breach potential. Attackers can leverage this flaw to establish persistent backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive customer data including credit card information, manipulate product catalogs, and conduct fraudulent transactions. The vulnerability's exploitation does not require authentication, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through publicly accessible web interfaces. This characteristic aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, where attackers can execute malicious code through the deserialization process. The attack chain typically involves crafting malicious serialized data that when processed by the vulnerable Magento application can trigger remote code execution, potentially leading to full system compromise and persistent access to the e-commerce infrastructure.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement comprehensive mitigation strategies to protect their Magento installations. The primary recommendation involves applying the official security patches released by Magento for each affected version, which typically include input validation improvements and proper sanitization of user-supplied data before deserialization operations. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls with rules specifically designed to detect and block malicious serialized data patterns can provide an additional layer of protection. Network segmentation and privilege separation should be enforced to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation, while regular security monitoring and log analysis can help detect suspicious activities related to deserialization attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing runtime application self-protection measures and conducting thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any custom modules or third-party extensions that might introduce similar deserialization risks. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of patched environments to ensure that legitimate functionality remains intact while the vulnerability is effectively neutralized.