CVE-2020-5576 in Movable Type
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in Movable Type series (Movable Type 7 r.4606 (7.2.1) and earlier (Movable Type 7), Movable Type Advanced 7 r.4606 (7.2.1) and earlier (Movable Type Advanced 7), Movable Type for AWS 7 r.4606 (7.2.1) and earlier (Movable Type for AWS 7), Movable Type 6.5.3 and earlier (Movable Type 6.5), Movable Type Advanced 6.5.3 and earlier (Movable Type Advanced 6.5), Movable Type 6.3.11 and earlier (Movable Type 6.3), Movable Type Advanced 6.3.11 and earlier (Movable Type 6.3), Movable Type Premium 1.29 and earlier, and Movable Type Premium Advanced 1.29 and earlier) allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators via unspecified vectors.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/14/2020
The CVE-2020-5576 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw affecting multiple versions of the Movable Type content management system across its various editions including standard, advanced, AWS, and premium variants. This vulnerability resides within the authentication mechanisms of the platform, creating a pathway for remote attackers to exploit administrative sessions through unspecified attack vectors that manipulate user requests. The flaw specifically impacts versions up to and including Movable Type 7.2.1, 6.5.3, 6.3.11, and 1.29, indicating a widespread issue affecting the core authentication flow of these content management systems. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-352 indicates it falls within the well-established category of cross-site request forgery attacks that manipulate the victim's browser into executing unauthorized commands. This weakness directly violates the fundamental security principle of ensuring that user actions originate from legitimate sources rather than being forged by malicious actors.
The technical exploitation of this CSRF vulnerability enables attackers to perform administrative actions on behalf of authenticated users without their knowledge or consent. The unspecified vectors suggest that the attack could potentially occur through various means such as crafted web pages, malicious links, or manipulated form submissions that leverage the victim's existing authenticated session. Attackers can leverage the lack of proper anti-CSRF token validation or session management controls to forge requests that appear legitimate to the application's security mechanisms. This type of vulnerability typically operates by tricking users into clicking on malicious links or visiting compromised websites that automatically submit requests to the vulnerable Movable Type application. The attack chain relies on the application's failure to properly validate the origin of requests, allowing forged requests to bypass authentication checks and execute with the privileges of the authenticated administrator. The vulnerability's presence in multiple product variants demonstrates that the underlying flaw exists in core components shared across the Movable Type platform family.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or modification to encompass complete administrative control over affected systems. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to create new administrator accounts, modify existing user permissions, delete content, alter website configurations, and potentially gain access to sensitive data stored within the CMS. The implications are particularly severe for organizations relying on Movable Type for critical web publishing operations, as unauthorized administrative access could lead to complete website compromise, data exfiltration, and service disruption. Organizations may face regulatory compliance issues if sensitive data is accessed or modified without authorization, especially in environments subject to standards such as gdpr, hipaa, or pci dss. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for attackers to establish persistent access through backdoor accounts or modified system configurations, making detection and remediation more challenging. This type of attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers legitimate credentials use for persistence and privilege escalation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-5576 should prioritize immediate implementation of proper anti-CSRF token mechanisms across all vulnerable Movable Type installations. Organizations must ensure that all administrative actions require valid, unique tokens that are tied to the user's current session and validated on the server side. This includes implementing proper session management controls, ensuring tokens are regenerated after each authentication event, and validating the referer header or origin of requests. The recommended approach involves upgrading to patched versions of Movable Type that address the CSRF validation weaknesses, with administrators monitoring for security updates from the vendor. Additional protective measures include implementing web application firewalls, configuring proper access controls, and conducting regular security assessments of CMS installations. Organizations should also establish monitoring procedures to detect unauthorized administrative activities and ensure that all user sessions are properly terminated upon logout or timeout. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper input validation and authentication controls in web applications, particularly those handling administrative functions. Security teams must ensure that all applications follow established security practices such as those outlined in the owasp top ten and iso/iec 27001 standards for web application security.