CVE-2020-6949 in HashBrown
Summary
by MITRE
A privilege escalation issue was discovered in the postUser function in HashBrown CMS through 1.3.3. An editor user can change the password hash of an admin user's account, or otherwise reconfigure that account.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/20/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-6949 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within HashBrown CMS version 1.3.3 and earlier. This issue resides within the postUser function, which processes user account modifications and administrative operations. The flaw allows users with editor privileges to manipulate administrative accounts through direct manipulation of password hashes or account reconfiguration parameters. The vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls and authentication checks within the user management functionality, creating a pathway for unauthorized privilege elevation that directly compromises the system's security model.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic lack of proper authorization validation within the application's user management subsystem. When an editor user invokes the postUser function, the system fails to verify whether the requesting user has sufficient privileges to modify administrative accounts. This oversight creates a direct attack vector where an editor can submit malicious requests containing modified password hashes or account configuration parameters for admin users. The vulnerability operates at the application logic level, specifically within the user authentication and authorization framework, making it particularly dangerous as it bypasses normal security boundaries that should prevent lower-privileged users from accessing administrative functions.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-6949 extends far beyond simple privilege escalation, potentially enabling full system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive data. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability can gain administrative control over user accounts, allowing them to modify or reset passwords for any administrative user within the system. This capability undermines the fundamental security model of the CMS, as it permits unauthorized users to assume administrative roles without proper authentication or authorization. The vulnerability also poses risks to data integrity and confidentiality, as administrative users typically have access to sensitive system information and can perform operations that affect the entire platform's functionality.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege. The flaw directly relates to ATT&CK technique T1078.004 (Valid Accounts: Cloud Accounts) and T1484.001 (Domain Policy Modification) as it allows attackers to escalate privileges and modify system configurations. Organizations utilizing HashBrown CMS should immediately implement mitigations including patching to version 1.3.4 or later, implementing proper access controls for user management functions, and conducting thorough security reviews of all user account modification processes. Additionally, monitoring for unauthorized user account modifications and implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts can help reduce the risk of exploitation. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of proper input validation and access control implementation in web applications, particularly those handling user authentication and authorization functions.