CVE-2020-4079 in iTop
Summary
by MITRE • 01/13/2021
Combodo iTop is a web based IT Service Management tool. In iTop before versions 2.7.2 and 2.8.0, when the ajax endpoint for the "excel export" portal functionality is called directly it allows getting data without scope filtering. This allows a user to access data they which they should not have access to. This is fixed in versions 2.7.2 and 3.0.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/12/2021
The vulnerability CVE-2020-4079 affects Combodo iTop, a web-based IT Service Management platform that serves as a centralized tool for managing IT operations and service delivery. This security flaw resides within the application's ajax endpoint implementation for excel export functionality within the portal, representing a critical access control weakness that undermines the system's information security posture. The vulnerability specifically impacts versions prior to 2.7.2 and 2.8.0, creating a scenario where unauthorized data access can occur through direct endpoint invocation.
The technical flaw manifests when the ajax endpoint designed for excel export functionality is called directly without proper authentication or authorization checks. This direct access bypasses the normal scope filtering mechanisms that should restrict data visibility based on user permissions and roles within the iTop system. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and access control enforcement at the application layer, allowing malicious actors to retrieve data that should be restricted to specific user groups or roles. This represents a classic privilege escalation issue where the system fails to properly verify user authorization before returning sensitive information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it enables unauthorized users to access data they should not have visibility into, potentially exposing sensitive IT service management information including user details, service requests, incident reports, and configuration items. This unauthorized data access can lead to information disclosure, compliance violations, and potential escalation to more serious security incidents. The vulnerability affects the core integrity of the iTop platform's access control model, undermining trust in the system's ability to maintain proper data segregation and confidentiality. Organizations relying on iTop for IT service management may face regulatory compliance issues and reputational damage if sensitive information is accessed by unauthorized parties.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-4079 involve immediate deployment of the patched versions 2.7.2 and 2.8.0, which address the access control bypass through proper authentication checks and scope filtering enforcement. System administrators should also implement additional monitoring of the affected ajax endpoints to detect unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting. Organizations should conduct comprehensive access control reviews and implement network segmentation to limit exposure of the vulnerable portal endpoints. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be performed to identify similar access control weaknesses in other application components and ensure ongoing protection against privilege escalation attacks.