CVE-2023-26570 in IDWeb
Summary
by MITRE • 10/25/2023
Missing authentication in the StudentPopupDetails_Timetable method in IDAttend’s IDWeb application 3.1.052 and earlier allows extraction sensitive student data by unauthenticated attackers.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/25/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-26570 represents a critical authentication flaw within the IDWeb application version 3.1.052 and earlier, specifically affecting the StudentPopupDetails_Timetable method. This issue stems from a fundamental failure in the application's access control mechanisms, where proper authentication checks are absent or improperly implemented. The affected application appears to be an educational management system that handles sensitive student information, making this vulnerability particularly concerning from a data protection perspective. The vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to directly access and extract sensitive student data through a method designed to display timetable information for students.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues in software systems. The flaw manifests as a missing authentication check within the StudentPopupDetails_Timetable method, meaning that any external party can invoke this endpoint without providing valid credentials. This represents a classic case of insufficient authorization controls where the application fails to verify the identity of users attempting to access protected resources. The vulnerability exists at the application logic level, where the developers did not implement proper session validation or authentication token verification before allowing access to timetable data. Attackers can exploit this by directly calling the method endpoint, bypassing all normal authentication flows that should normally validate user identity and permissions.
From an operational impact standpoint, this vulnerability creates a significant risk exposure for educational institutions using the IDWeb application. The extraction of sensitive student data through unauthenticated access could lead to privacy violations, compliance breaches, and potential identity theft scenarios. The data accessed through this method likely includes personal student information, scheduling details, and possibly academic records that could be valuable for malicious actors. This vulnerability could be exploited by attackers with minimal technical skill, as it does not require complex exploitation techniques or advanced knowledge of the system architecture. The impact extends beyond immediate data theft to potential long-term consequences including regulatory penalties under data protection laws such as GDPR or FERPA, depending on the geographical jurisdiction and data handling practices of the affected institution.
The exploitation of this vulnerability follows patterns consistent with ATT&CK technique T1078 which addresses valid accounts usage and credential compromise. While this particular vulnerability does not involve credential theft, it creates an environment where unauthorized access becomes possible through the absence of authentication checks. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including patching to the latest version of IDWeb that addresses this authentication gap, implementing proper access controls at the application level, and conducting thorough security assessments of all endpoints to identify similar authentication flaws. Network-level protections such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional defense-in-depth measures, though the primary remediation must focus on correcting the authentication implementation within the application itself. Regular security testing and code reviews should be implemented to prevent similar issues in future development cycles, particularly focusing on authentication and authorization controls as outlined in security best practices and compliance frameworks.