CVE-2024-41597 in ProcessWire
Summary
by MITRE • 07/19/2024
Cross Site Request Forgery vulnerability in ProcessWire v.3.0.229 allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code via a crafted HTML file to the comments functionality.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/17/2025
This cross site request forgery vulnerability in ProcessWire version 3.0.229 represents a critical security flaw that enables remote attackers to manipulate the comments functionality and potentially execute arbitrary code. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of request origins and lack of proper anti-CSRF token implementation within the comment submission mechanism. Attackers can craft malicious HTML files that, when viewed by authenticated users, automatically submit comments or modify content through forged requests that appear legitimate to the web application.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the absence of proper CSRF protection mechanisms in the comment handling endpoints. ProcessWire fails to validate that requests originate from legitimate sources within the same session, allowing attackers to construct malicious payloads that exploit the trust relationship between the browser and the web application. This flaw operates at the application layer and specifically targets the user interaction points where comments are submitted, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through social engineering or by tricking users into visiting compromised websites.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple comment manipulation as it provides a potential pathway for more severe attacks including privilege escalation, data manipulation, and in some cases arbitrary code execution. When combined with other vulnerabilities or used in conjunction with phishing campaigns, attackers can leverage this CSRF flaw to gain unauthorized access to user accounts or modify critical application data. The vulnerability affects all authenticated users who interact with the comments functionality, making it particularly concerning for content management systems where user-generated content is common.
Mitigation strategies for this CSRF vulnerability should include immediate implementation of robust anti-CSRF token mechanisms throughout the application's comment submission processes. Organizations should ensure that all state-changing operations require valid CSRF tokens that are tied to the user session and validated server-side. The implementation should follow established security standards such as those outlined in CWE-352 for Cross-Site Request Forgery and align with ATT&CK technique T1566 for Phishing to prevent successful exploitation. Regular security updates and patch management should be enforced, with immediate attention given to upgrading to ProcessWire versions that address this specific vulnerability. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and output encoding can further reduce the attack surface and prevent potential exploitation of related vulnerabilities.