CVE-2020-5218 in Sylius
Summary
by MITRE
Affected versions of Sylius give attackers the ability to switch channels via the _channel_code GET parameter in production environments. This was meant to be enabled only when kernel.debug is set to true. However, if no sylius_channel.debug is set explicitly in the configuration, the default value which is kernel.debug will be not resolved and cast to boolean, enabling this debug feature even if that parameter is set to false. Patch has been provided for Sylius 1.3.x and newer - 1.3.16, 1.4.12, 1.5.9, 1.6.5. Versions older than 1.3 are not covered by our security support anymore.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/27/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-5218 represents a critical access control flaw in the Sylius e-commerce platform that allows unauthorized attackers to manipulate channel switching functionality in production environments. This issue stems from a configuration handling error where the debug feature intended to be restricted to development environments is inadvertently enabled in production due to improper default value resolution. The vulnerability specifically affects the _channel_code GET parameter which should only be functional when kernel.debug is explicitly set to true, but due to the flawed configuration logic, the debug channel switching capability remains active even when the system is configured for production use.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper handling of boolean configuration values within the Sylius framework's channel management system. When the sylius_channel.debug parameter is not explicitly configured in the system settings, the application defaults to using the kernel.debug value but fails to properly cast this value to a boolean type. This configuration resolution error creates a scenario where even when kernel.debug is set to false, the system incorrectly interprets the default value as true, thereby enabling the debug channel switching functionality. This behavior violates the fundamental principle of least privilege and creates an attack surface that should only exist in controlled development environments. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation and configuration management practices that are commonly associated with CWE-284 access control vulnerabilities and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1078 legitimate credentials for privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows attackers to potentially access different channels within the Sylius platform without proper authentication or authorization. In a production environment, this could enable unauthorized users to switch between different product catalogs, customer groups, or pricing structures, potentially leading to data exposure, pricing manipulation, or unauthorized access to restricted content. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of the Sylius platform including 1.3.x through 1.6.x, with patches released for versions 1.3.16, 1.4.12, 1.5.9, and 1.6.5. Organizations running older versions or those that have not applied the security patches remain at risk of exploitation. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal effort as it only requires passing the _channel_code parameter in HTTP GET requests, making it particularly dangerous in environments where such parameter handling is not properly validated or restricted.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability involve immediate patching of affected Sylius versions to the latest secure releases that contain the configuration fix. Organizations should also implement proper configuration management practices to ensure that debug features are explicitly disabled in production environments and that all configuration parameters are properly validated and cast to their intended data types. Additional defensive measures include monitoring for unusual channel switching patterns in application logs, implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious parameter usage, and conducting regular security assessments to identify similar configuration flaws in other system components. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper security configuration management and demonstrates how seemingly minor configuration handling errors can create significant security risks in production systems.