CVE-2022-36634 in ZKBiosecurity
Summary
by MITRE • 10/08/2022
An access control issue in ZKTeco ZKBioSecurity V5000 3.0.5_r allows attackers to arbitrarily create admin users via a crafted HTTP request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/29/2022
The vulnerability CVE-2022-36634 represents a critical access control flaw in ZKTeco ZKBioSecurity V5000 version 3.0.5_r which enables unauthorized attackers to escalate privileges by creating administrative user accounts through manipulated HTTP requests. This vulnerability resides within the authentication and authorization mechanisms of the biometric security management system, potentially compromising the entire security infrastructure of organizations relying on this platform. The issue stems from insufficient input validation and inadequate privilege checks within the web interface administration components, allowing malicious actors to bypass normal user registration and authentication procedures.
This access control weakness operates through a specific technical flaw where the application fails to properly validate user input parameters during administrative account creation requests. The vulnerability is classified as a CWE-285: Improper Authorization, which falls under the broader category of authorization flaws that permit unauthorized access to protected resources. Attackers can exploit this by crafting HTTP requests that manipulate the administrative user creation endpoint, effectively bypassing the normal security controls that should prevent arbitrary user privilege escalation. The flaw exists because the system does not adequately verify the authenticity of administrative actions or enforce proper role-based access controls during user management operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with complete administrative control over the ZKBioSecurity system. Once an attacker successfully creates an administrative user account, they gain access to all system functions including but not limited to user management, device configuration, access control policy modifications, audit log viewing, and system maintenance capabilities. This level of access can result in complete system compromise, data exfiltration, unauthorized access to biometric databases, and potential disruption of critical security operations. Organizations using this software may face significant security breaches that could affect physical security infrastructure and potentially lead to unauthorized access to facilities or sensitive information.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-36634 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected ZKBioSecurity V5000 version 3.0.5_r to address the underlying access control vulnerability. Organizations should implement network segmentation to restrict access to the administrative interfaces and ensure that only authorized personnel can reach the affected system components. Additionally, monitoring and logging of administrative account creation activities should be enhanced to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078: Valid Accounts, which emphasizes the importance of securing administrative access points and monitoring for unauthorized account creation. Security teams should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative access, regularly reviewing user permissions, and conducting penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in the system architecture. Organizations should also review their incident response procedures to ensure rapid detection and remediation of such privilege escalation attacks.