CVE-2022-2702 in Company Website CMS
Summary
by MITRE • 08/08/2022
A vulnerability was found in SourceCodester Company Website CMS and classified as critical. Affected by this issue is some unknown functionality of the file site-settings.php of the component Cookie Handler. The manipulation leads to improper access controls. The attack may be launched remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. VDB-205826 is the identifier assigned to this vulnerability.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/31/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-2702 represents a critical access control flaw within the SourceCodester Company Website CMS, specifically impacting the Cookie Handler component through the site-settings.php file. This issue stems from inadequate authorization checks that allow unauthorized users to manipulate critical system configurations. The vulnerability's classification as critical indicates the potential for severe impact on system security and data integrity, particularly given that it affects core administrative functionality that governs how cookies are handled across the website.
The technical nature of this flaw manifests in improper access controls where the Cookie Handler component fails to properly validate user permissions before allowing modifications to site settings. This weakness enables attackers to bypass normal authentication mechanisms and directly manipulate cookie-related configurations that control user sessions and website behavior. The vulnerability operates through the site-settings.php file which serves as the administrative interface for managing various website parameters, including cookie policies and session management settings. The lack of proper input validation and authorization checks creates an exploitable path where unauthenticated or low-privilege users can gain elevated access to administrative functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity of the website's session management and user authentication mechanisms. Attackers exploiting this flaw can manipulate cookie settings to hijack user sessions, bypass security controls, or potentially gain administrative access to the CMS. The remote exploit capability means that adversaries can leverage this vulnerability from outside the network perimeter, eliminating the need for physical access or insider knowledge. This characteristic significantly increases the attack surface and makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous for organizations relying on this CMS for their online presence.
Security researchers have documented this vulnerability through VDB-205826, indicating that public exploitation methods are available, which accelerates the risk timeline for affected organizations. The disclosure of exploit details means that malicious actors can readily implement attacks without requiring advanced technical skills, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in the current threat landscape. Organizations running this CMS version are exposed to potential data breaches, unauthorized content modification, and complete system compromise if proper mitigations are not implemented.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of the affected CMS version to address the underlying access control implementation. Organizations must also implement network segmentation and monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts to administrative interfaces. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which specifically addresses improper access control, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege in software design. Security teams should conduct comprehensive audits of all CMS components to identify similar access control weaknesses and implement proper input validation and authorization checks across all administrative interfaces to prevent future incidents of this nature.