CVE-2020-8494 in Web Time
Summary
by MITRE
In Kronos Web Time and Attendance (webTA) 3.8.x and later 3.x versions before 4.0, the com.threeis.webta.H402editUser servlet allows an attacker with Timekeeper, Master Timekeeper, or HR Admin privileges to gain unauthorized administrative privileges within the application via the emp_id, userid, pw1, pw2, supervisor, and timekeeper parameters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/27/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-8494 affects Kronos Web Time and Attendance (webTA) versions 3.8.x through 3.x prior to 4.0, representing a critical privilege escalation flaw that undermines the application's access control mechanisms. This issue resides within the com.threeis.webta.H402editUser servlet which handles user management operations, creating a pathway for authenticated attackers with specific role permissions to elevate their privileges beyond their intended access levels. The vulnerability specifically targets the application's user privilege management system, where legitimate users with Timekeeper, Master Timekeeper, or HR Admin roles can exploit parameter manipulation to gain full administrative access to the system.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of multiple HTTP parameters including emp_id, userid, pw1, pw2, supervisor, and timekeeper within the servlet interface. These parameters control user account modifications and privilege assignments, but due to insufficient input validation and access control checks, attackers can craft malicious requests that bypass normal authorization procedures. The flaw demonstrates a classic lack of proper privilege verification during administrative operations, where the system fails to adequately verify whether the requesting user has sufficient authorization to perform the requested privilege modifications. This represents a violation of the principle of least privilege and demonstrates inadequate input sanitization practices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows attackers to gain unauthorized administrative access to the time and attendance system, potentially enabling them to manipulate employee records, modify time tracking data, alter user permissions, and access sensitive payroll information. Attackers with Timekeeper, Master Timekeeper, or HR Admin privileges can leverage this vulnerability to escalate their access to full administrative control, effectively bypassing the application's intended security boundaries. This could result in significant data integrity issues, unauthorized access to confidential employee information, and potential financial fraud through manipulation of time tracking records that directly impact payroll processing.
Organizations utilizing affected Kronos webTA versions should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches, implementing network segmentation to restrict access to the vulnerable servlet, and enforcing strict access controls for administrative functions. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which addresses improper access control, and represents a specific instance of privilege escalation through parameter manipulation. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques and can be leveraged as part of broader attack chains targeting enterprise time and attendance systems. Additional mitigations should include enhanced monitoring of administrative function usage, implementation of multi-factor authentication for privileged accounts, and regular security assessments to identify similar parameter manipulation vulnerabilities in other application components.