CVE-2023-2670 in Lost and Found Information System
Summary
by MITRE • 05/12/2023
A vulnerability was found in SourceCodester Lost and Found Information System 1.0. It has been declared as critical. This vulnerability affects unknown code of the file admin/?page=user/manage_user. The manipulation leads to improper access controls. The attack can be initiated remotely. VDB-228886 is the identifier assigned to this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/08/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-2670 represents a critical access control flaw within the SourceCodester Lost and Found Information System version 1.0. This system, designed to manage lost and found items, contains a significant security weakness in its administrative interface that could allow unauthorized users to gain elevated privileges and access restricted functionality. The vulnerability specifically resides in the admin/?page=user/manage_user endpoint, which serves as a critical control point for user management operations within the application's administrative framework. The improper access controls present in this component create a pathway for attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms and potentially assume administrative roles within the system.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under the category of insufficient access control as classified by CWE-284, which specifically addresses inadequate authorization mechanisms that allow users to perform actions they should not be permitted to execute. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly validate user permissions before granting access to administrative functions, particularly those related to user management. This weakness enables attackers to manipulate the application's behavior through remote exploitation, eliminating the need for physical access or local system compromise. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that an attacker can potentially leverage this flaw from any network location without requiring direct system access, significantly expanding the attack surface and potential impact.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it could enable attackers to manipulate user accounts, modify system configurations, and potentially gain complete control over the lost and found information system. Attackers could exploit this weakness to create new administrator accounts, modify existing user permissions, or even delete critical user data, leading to potential data breaches and system compromise. The severity classification as critical indicates that this vulnerability could be easily exploited by automated tools and presents a substantial risk to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system. Organizations relying on this system could face regulatory compliance issues, data loss, and reputational damage if this vulnerability is successfully exploited in the wild.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust authentication and authorization controls within the affected application component. The recommended approach involves strengthening the access control validation mechanisms in the admin/?page=user/manage_user endpoint to ensure that only authenticated administrators can access user management functions. This includes implementing proper session management, enforcing role-based access controls, and conducting thorough input validation to prevent parameter manipulation. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security layers such as rate limiting, multi-factor authentication for administrative access, and comprehensive logging of administrative activities to detect potential exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include code review to identify similar access control weaknesses in other parts of the application and ensure that all administrative endpoints properly validate user privileges before executing sensitive operations. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper access control implementation and serves as a reminder that even seemingly minor security flaws can result in significant system compromise when exploited by determined attackers.