CVE-2022-45173 in Collaboration vDesk
Summary
by MITRE • 04/14/2023
An issue was discovered in LIVEBOX Collaboration vDesk through v018. A Bypass of Two-Factor Authentication can occur under the /api/v1/vdeskintegration/challenge endpoint. Because only the client-side verifies whether a check was successful, an attacker can modify the response, and fool the application into concluding that the TOTP was correct.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/03/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-45173 represents a critical security flaw in LIVEBOX Collaboration vDesk software versions up to v018, specifically affecting the authentication mechanism at the /api/v1/vdeskintegration/challenge endpoint. This issue fundamentally undermines the security posture of the application by enabling a bypass of the two-factor authentication (2FA) process that is designed to protect user accounts from unauthorized access. The vulnerability stems from a fundamental architectural weakness where the server-side validation logic is entirely dependent on client-side verification mechanisms, creating a dangerous trust model that can be easily exploited by malicious actors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits a classic client-side validation flaw that maps to CWE-605, which describes "Multiple Pathways to a Single Resource." In this case, the authentication challenge endpoint fails to enforce proper server-side validation of the TOTP (Time-based One-Time Password) verification process. The application architecture incorrectly assumes that client-side response manipulation cannot occur, when in fact an attacker can intercept the API communication and modify the response payload to indicate successful authentication. This creates a scenario where the server accepts the modified response without performing its own verification of the TOTP validity, essentially allowing unauthorized access to protected resources. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1212, which focuses on exploitation of software vulnerabilities to bypass authentication mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it completely neutralizes the security benefits of implementing two-factor authentication within the LIVEBOX Collaboration environment. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can gain unauthorized access to user accounts, potentially leading to data breaches, unauthorized system modifications, and privilege escalation within the collaboration platform. The implications extend beyond individual account compromise to potentially affect entire organizational security postures, especially in environments where the vDesk platform is used for sensitive business communications and file sharing. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical skill, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by attackers with basic knowledge of API interaction and response manipulation techniques. Organizations utilizing this software may face regulatory compliance issues and security audit failures due to the exposure of this critical authentication bypass flaw.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper server-side validation of all authentication responses, ensuring that the TOTP verification process is independently validated by the server rather than relying on client-side confirmation. Security measures must include input validation, response integrity checks, and the implementation of secure communication protocols to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks that could facilitate response manipulation. Organizations should also consider implementing additional monitoring and alerting mechanisms to detect anomalous authentication patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The fix should involve redesigning the challenge endpoint to enforce server-side validation of all authentication tokens and responses, ensuring that client-side modifications cannot influence the authentication outcome. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar client-side validation weaknesses in other components of the application, as this represents a systemic architectural issue that may exist in other parts of the software. Additionally, implementing proper session management and authentication token validation would further strengthen the overall security posture against similar exploitation vectors.