CVE-2023-7038 in automad
Summary
by MITRE • 12/21/2023
A vulnerability was found in automad up to 1.10.9. It has been rated as problematic. This issue affects some unknown processing of the file /dashboard?controller=UserCollection::createUser of the component User Creation Handler. The manipulation leads to cross-site request forgery. The attack may be initiated remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The associated identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-248687. NOTE: The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/14/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-7038 represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within the Automad content management system version 1.10.9 and earlier. This vulnerability resides in the User Creation Handler component, specifically within the file /dashboard?controller=UserCollection::createUser processing logic. The flaw allows attackers to manipulate the user creation workflow through maliciously crafted requests that can be executed without user consent, fundamentally compromising the application's authentication and authorization mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper request validation and anti-CSRF token mechanisms within the user creation endpoint. When legitimate users navigate to the dashboard and attempt to create new user accounts, the system fails to verify that the request originates from the intended source. This weakness enables attackers to construct malicious web pages or exploit existing user sessions to submit unauthorized user creation requests on behalf of victims. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the user management functionality, making it particularly dangerous for administrative operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized user creation, as it can be leveraged for privilege escalation and persistent access to the system. An attacker who successfully exploits this flaw can establish accounts with elevated privileges, potentially gaining administrative control over the entire Automad installation. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers do not require physical access or direct network proximity to the system. This vulnerability affects the core user management functionality and can be exploited through various attack vectors including social engineering, phishing campaigns, or by embedding malicious content in other web applications that may be visited by authenticated users.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery issues in software applications. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a privilege escalation technique under the T1078 credential access sub-technique, where attackers can establish new accounts to maintain persistent access. The public disclosure of this vulnerability, as indicated by the VDB-248687 identifier, suggests that threat actors have already begun developing exploit code. The lack of vendor response to early disclosure attempts further compounds the risk, as organizations must rely on community-driven mitigation strategies rather than official patches.
Organizations utilizing Automad should immediately implement mitigations including the deployment of anti-CSRF tokens throughout all user creation and modification endpoints, implementation of referer header validation, and enforcement of same-site cookies for authentication tokens. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious user creation requests, while also monitoring for unauthorized account creation attempts. The most effective long-term solution involves upgrading to a patched version of Automad where the CSRF protections have been properly implemented and validated. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive audits of all user management endpoints to ensure similar vulnerabilities do not exist in other parts of the application.