CVE-2021-41245 in iTop
Summary
by MITRE • 04/05/2022
Combodo iTop is a web based IT Service Management tool. In versions prior to 2.7.6 and 3.0.0, CSRF tokens generated by `privUITransactionFile` aren't properly checked. Versions 2.7.6 and 3.0.0 contain a patch for this issue. As a workaround, use the session implementation by adding in the iTop config file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/08/2022
The vulnerability CVE-2021-41245 affects Combodo iTop, a web-based IT Service Management tool that provides organizations with comprehensive infrastructure management capabilities. This issue specifically targets the cross-site request forgery protection mechanisms within the application's user interface transaction handling system. The vulnerability resides in the `privUITransactionFile` function which generates CSRF tokens for protecting against unauthorized actions. Prior to versions 2.7.6 and 3.0.0, the system failed to properly validate these generated tokens, creating a significant security weakness that could be exploited by attackers to perform unauthorized operations on behalf of authenticated users.
The technical flaw represents a classic CSRF vulnerability where the application's token validation mechanism is insufficiently implemented. When users interact with the iTop interface, the system generates CSRF tokens to ensure that requests originate from legitimate user sessions. However, in affected versions, these tokens were either not validated at all or were validated using weak mechanisms that could be bypassed through crafted malicious requests. This weakness falls under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which covers Account Access Removal and unauthorized access exploitation. The vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary actions within the context of authenticated user sessions without requiring the user's credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial for organizations relying on iTop for their IT service management operations. An attacker could potentially perform sensitive operations such as creating new user accounts, modifying existing configurations, accessing restricted data, or performing administrative tasks that could compromise the entire IT service management infrastructure. The vulnerability affects the core transaction processing functionality of the application, meaning that any authenticated user session could be exploited to carry out unauthorized modifications. This represents a critical threat to the integrity and confidentiality of the IT service management environment, potentially leading to data breaches, service disruption, and unauthorized access to critical infrastructure components. The attack vector requires minimal user interaction beyond initial access, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users maintain long-lived sessions.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately upgrade to version 2.7.6 or 3.0.0 where the patch has been implemented to properly validate CSRF tokens. As a temporary workaround, administrators can implement the session-based implementation method by modifying the iTop configuration file, which provides an alternative protection mechanism while the upgrade is being planned. The patch addresses the root cause by strengthening the token validation process within the `privUITransactionFile` function, ensuring that all generated tokens are properly checked before any transaction is processed. Security teams should conduct thorough assessments of their iTop implementations to verify proper patch deployment and monitor for any suspicious activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should review their overall security posture and consider implementing additional protective measures such as network segmentation, enhanced monitoring, and regular security audits to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in other components of their IT infrastructure.