CVE-2022-2736 in Company Website CMS
Summary
by MITRE • 08/11/2022
A vulnerability was found in SourceCodester Company Website CMS. It has been classified as critical. This affects an unknown part of the file /dashboard/updatelogo.php of the component Background Upload Logo Icon. The manipulation of the argument xfile/ufile leads to unrestricted upload. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. The identifier VDB-205881 was assigned to this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/31/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-2736 represents a critical security flaw within the SourceCodester Company Website CMS platform that exposes organizations to significant risk of unauthorized access and system compromise. This weakness resides in the background logo upload functionality, specifically within the /dashboard/updatelogo.php file where the application fails to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied input parameters. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it allows attackers to bypass normal file upload restrictions through manipulation of the xfile/ufile parameters, creating an unrestricted file upload condition that can be exploited remotely without requiring local system access or authentication.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the CMS's file upload process. When users attempt to upload logo images through the dashboard interface, the application accepts user-controllable parameters without proper sanitization or file type verification. This flaw enables attackers to upload malicious files such as web shells, php scripts, or other executable content that can be executed within the web server context. The vulnerability falls under CWE-434 which specifically addresses "Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type" and represents a classic example of insecure file handling practices that have been documented across numerous web applications. The remote attack vector means that threat actors can exploit this weakness from outside the network perimeter, making it particularly dangerous for publicly accessible web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized file uploads and can lead to complete system compromise. Once an attacker successfully uploads malicious content through the unrestricted upload mechanism, they gain the ability to execute arbitrary code on the target server, potentially leading to data exfiltration, system infiltration, or further lateral movement within the network. This vulnerability directly maps to multiple ATT&CK techniques including T1190 for Exploit Public-Facing Application and T1059 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as attackers can leverage the uploaded files to establish persistent access or execute malicious commands. Organizations running affected versions of the SourceCodester CMS are at risk of having their web servers compromised, leading to potential data breaches, service disruption, and regulatory compliance violations.
Organizations should immediately implement comprehensive mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability. The most critical immediate action involves patching or updating the CMS to a version that properly validates and sanitizes file upload parameters. Administrators should also implement additional security controls such as restricting file upload capabilities to trusted users only, implementing strict file type validation with whitelisting approaches, and configuring proper file permissions to prevent execution of uploaded content. Network-level protections including web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems should be deployed to monitor for suspicious upload activities. The vulnerability's classification as critical underscores the urgency of remediation efforts, as the potential for exploitation increases with the availability of automated scanning tools that can identify and target such insecure configurations across the internet. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other web applications within the organization's infrastructure.