CVE-2023-7053 in Online Notes Sharing System
Summary
by MITRE • 12/22/2023
A vulnerability was found in PHPGurukul Online Notes Sharing System 1.0. It has been declared as problematic. This vulnerability affects unknown code of the file /user/signup.php. The manipulation leads to weak password requirements. The attack can be initiated remotely. The complexity of an attack is rather high. The exploitation appears to be difficult. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-248740.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/14/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-7053 represents a critical security flaw within the PHPGurukul Online Notes Sharing System version 1.0, specifically targeting the user registration functionality. This weakness resides in the /user/signup.php file where the system fails to enforce robust password policies, creating an exploitable condition that could compromise user account security. The vulnerability's classification as problematic indicates that it presents a significant risk to the system's integrity and user data protection mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and password strength enforcement within the signup process. When users attempt to create accounts through the registration interface, the system does not adequately verify that passwords meet minimum complexity requirements such as minimum length, character variety, or resistance to common attack patterns. This weakness allows attackers to register with easily guessable or weak passwords, undermining the fundamental security posture of the application. The vulnerability operates at the authentication layer and directly impacts the credential strength validation mechanisms.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a substantial risk to the online notes sharing system's security infrastructure. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers can initiate the attack from external networks without requiring physical access to the system. The high attack complexity and difficulty of exploitation suggest that while the vulnerability exists, it may require specialized knowledge or tools to effectively leverage. However, the public disclosure of the exploit and its availability in the VDB-248740 database significantly increases the likelihood of successful exploitation by threat actors who may not possess advanced technical skills.
The security implications extend beyond simple credential compromise, as weak password requirements create potential entry points for broader attack vectors including account takeover, privilege escalation, and data breach scenarios. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-312 (Sensitive Data Exposure) and CWE-521 (Weak Password Requirements) classifications, demonstrating how inadequate authentication controls can create cascading security issues within web applications. The attack pattern follows typical privilege escalation techniques outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1110 (Brute Force) and T1078 (Valid Accounts) tactics.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate implementation of strong password policies including minimum length requirements of at least 12 characters, enforcement of mixed character types, and prohibition of commonly used or easily guessable passwords. The system should integrate password strength checking mechanisms and consider implementing multi-factor authentication to reduce the risk of account compromise. Additionally, regular security audits of authentication components, input validation procedures, and comprehensive penetration testing should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities. System administrators should also monitor for unauthorized account creation attempts and implement account lockout mechanisms to prevent brute force attacks against the registration system.