CVE-2023-4868 in Contact Manager App
Summary
by MITRE • 09/10/2023
A vulnerability was found in SourceCodester Contact Manager App 1.0. It has been declared as problematic. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality of the file add.php. The manipulation leads to cross-site request forgery. The attack can be launched remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The identifier VDB-239353 was assigned to this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/04/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-4868 represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within the SourceCodester Contact Manager App version 1.0. This vulnerability specifically affects the add.php file, which serves as a crucial component for user contact management functionality. The flaw stems from inadequate validation of incoming requests, particularly those originating from external sources, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate the application's intended behavior. The vulnerability has been publicly disclosed and carries the VDB-239353 identifier, indicating its recognition within security databases and suggesting potential exploitation by threat actors.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability occurs when the application fails to properly verify the origin of requests submitted through the add.php endpoint. This weakness allows attackers to craft malicious requests that appear to originate from legitimate users, exploiting the trust relationship between the web application and its users. The flaw operates at the application layer where the system does not enforce proper anti-CSRF tokens or origin validation mechanisms. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform unauthorized actions such as adding new contacts, modifying existing entries, or potentially executing other malicious operations within the context of authenticated user sessions. The remote exploitability of this vulnerability means that attackers do not require physical access to the system or local network presence to carry out attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-4868 extends beyond simple data manipulation, potentially compromising the integrity and confidentiality of contact information managed through the application. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to inject malicious contact entries containing phishing links, malware distribution points, or other harmful content. The implications are particularly concerning for organizations relying on this contact management system, as the compromised data could serve as a foundation for further attacks including social engineering campaigns, credential theft, or lateral movement within network environments. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery, aligns with established patterns of web application security flaws that have historically led to significant data breaches and unauthorized system access.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize the immediate implementation of robust anti-CSRF protection mechanisms within the application. The most effective approach involves implementing unique, unpredictable tokens for each user session that must be validated on every state-changing request. Security professionals should also consider implementing proper origin validation checks and utilizing the SameSite cookie attributes to prevent unauthorized cross-site requests. Additionally, the application should enforce strict input validation and sanitize all data received through the add.php endpoint to prevent additional attack vectors. Organizations utilizing this application must conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify any related vulnerabilities and ensure proper authentication mechanisms are in place. The remediation process should follow industry standards such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten project, particularly focusing on the prevention of CSRF attacks through proper session management and request validation controls. Regular security updates and vulnerability assessments should be implemented to maintain the application's security posture and prevent similar issues from emerging in future versions.