CVE-2023-3574 in customer-data-framework
Summary
by MITRE • 07/10/2023
Improper Authorization in GitHub repository pimcore/customer-data-framework prior to 3.4.1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2026
The vulnerability in question represents a critical improper authorization flaw within the pimcore/customer-data-framework repository affecting versions prior to 3.4.1. This issue stems from insufficient access control mechanisms that allow unauthorized users to bypass intended security restrictions and gain access to protected resources or functionality. The vulnerability manifests when the application fails to properly validate user permissions before granting access to sensitive data or administrative operations, creating a pathway for privilege escalation and unauthorized data exposure.
The technical implementation of this authorization flaw likely involves inadequate validation of user roles, session tokens, or API access controls within the customer data framework's authentication system. Attackers can exploit this weakness to perform actions that should be restricted to authorized personnel only, potentially accessing customer records, modifying data, or executing administrative functions without proper credentials. The vulnerability may be rooted in missing access control checks in API endpoints, insufficient input validation, or flawed permission management logic that fails to properly distinguish between different user privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it can lead to complete system compromise when combined with other attack vectors. Organizations using affected versions face significant risks including customer data breaches, regulatory compliance violations, and potential legal consequences. The vulnerability's severity is amplified by the fact that customer data frameworks typically handle sensitive personal information, making unauthorized access particularly damaging. Attackers can leverage this weakness to conduct data exfiltration campaigns, manipulate customer records, or establish persistent access to the system.
Mitigation strategies for this improper authorization vulnerability should include immediate deployment of the patched version 3.4.1 or later, which addresses the core authorization flaws through enhanced access control validation. Organizations should implement comprehensive access control reviews, ensuring that all API endpoints properly validate user permissions and session integrity. Security teams must conduct thorough audits of authorization logic, applying principle of least privilege concepts to limit user capabilities to only necessary functions. Additionally, implementing robust logging and monitoring of access control events can help detect unauthorized access attempts and provide forensic evidence for security investigations.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which specifically addresses improper authorization issues in software systems. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the privilege escalation and credential access domains. Organizations should consider implementing additional security controls such as multi-factor authentication, regular security testing, and access control policy enforcement to prevent similar issues from occurring in other components of their infrastructure. The incident underscores the critical importance of proper authorization implementation in customer data management systems and highlights the need for continuous security validation of access control mechanisms.