CVE-2022-36579 in Wellcms
Summary
by MITRE • 08/19/2022
Wellcms 2.2.0 is vulnerable to Cross Site Request Forgery (CSRF).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/24/2022
CVE-2022-36579 represents a cross site request forgery vulnerability identified in Wellcms version 2.2.0, a content management system that falls under the category of web application security flaws. This vulnerability stems from the application's insufficient protection mechanisms against unauthorized commands executed on behalf of authenticated users. The flaw allows attackers to trick authenticated users into performing unintended actions within the application, exploiting the trust relationship between the user and the web application. The vulnerability is classified as a CWE-352 - Cross-Site Request Forgery, which is a well-documented security weakness in web applications where the attacker leverages the user's authenticated session to execute malicious requests. According to the ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1566.001 - Phishing, as it can be exploited through deceptive web pages that manipulate users into performing actions without their knowledge or consent.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability in Wellcms 2.2.0 demonstrates a failure in proper request validation and token implementation within the application's web forms and API endpoints. The application does not adequately verify the origin of requests or enforce the use of anti-forgery tokens that would prevent unauthorized requests from being processed. This weakness enables attackers to craft malicious web pages or send crafted requests that, when executed by an authenticated user, can perform actions such as modifying user permissions, changing account settings, or executing administrative functions without the user's knowledge. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited through various attack vectors including email phishing campaigns, malicious websites, or compromised third-party platforms where users might be tricked into clicking on malicious links.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-36579 extends beyond simple data manipulation to potentially compromise the entire user authentication and authorization framework of Wellcms 2.2.0 installations. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized privilege escalation, account takeovers, data breaches, or even complete system compromise if the affected user possesses administrative privileges. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to add new users, modify existing user permissions, alter content, or manipulate the application's configuration settings. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it affects a content management system, which typically handles sensitive user data and content management functions. Organizations running this version of Wellcms are at risk of unauthorized access to their digital assets, potential data loss, and reputational damage due to compromised user accounts and system integrity.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-36579 should focus on implementing robust anti-forgery token mechanisms across all state-changing operations within the Wellcms application. The recommended approach includes enforcing the use of unique, unpredictable tokens for each user session that are validated on the server side before processing any critical requests. Security patches should be applied immediately to upgrade to Wellcms versions that address this vulnerability, as the software vendor likely released fixes that implement proper CSRF protection measures. Organizations should also implement additional security controls such as implementing Content Security Policy headers, enabling secure session management practices, and conducting regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities. Network-level protections including web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of defense against exploitation attempts. The implementation of these controls aligns with the security best practices outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and follows the principles of defense in depth as recommended by the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, ensuring that multiple protective measures are in place to prevent successful exploitation of the CSRF vulnerability.