CVE-2025-25616 in Unifiedtransform
Summary
by MITRE • 03/10/2025
Unifiedtransform 2.0 is vulnerable to Incorrect Access Control, which allows students to modify rules for exams. The affected endpoint is /exams/edit-rule?exam_rule_id=1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/07/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-25616 affects Unifiedtransform 2.0, a system designed for educational exam management and rule configuration. This flaw represents a critical access control weakness that undermines the security posture of the platform by allowing unauthorized modification of exam rules. The specific endpoint /exams/edit-rule with parameter exam_rule_id=1 serves as the attack vector where the improper access control manifests. The vulnerability stems from insufficient authorization checks that should validate user privileges before permitting modifications to exam configurations. This misconfiguration creates a scenario where any authenticated user, regardless of their role or permissions, can potentially alter critical exam parameters that govern test administration and evaluation criteria.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a failure in the application's authorization framework, specifically lacking proper role-based access control mechanisms. The system does not adequately verify whether the requesting user possesses the necessary administrative privileges to modify exam rules, creating an opportunity for privilege escalation through direct parameter manipulation. This type of flaw aligns with CWE-285, which categorizes improper authorization issues in software systems. The vulnerability can be exploited by manipulating the exam_rule_id parameter to target different exam configurations, potentially allowing attackers to modify rules for multiple examinations within the system. The attack requires minimal technical expertise as it leverages existing authentication mechanisms while bypassing intended access restrictions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized modifications, potentially compromising the integrity and fairness of academic assessments. Students who exploit this vulnerability could alter exam rules to gain unfair advantages, manipulate grading criteria, or disrupt the examination process for other users. This compromises the fundamental principles of academic integrity and trust that educational platforms must maintain. The vulnerability also raises concerns about data consistency and system reliability, as unauthorized changes to exam rules could lead to confusion among students and administrators. From an ATT&CK perspective, this represents a privilege escalation technique where adversaries leverage weak access controls to modify system configurations, potentially leading to further compromise of the educational environment. The impact is particularly severe in institutional settings where exam integrity is paramount for academic credibility and assessment validity.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing robust authorization controls at the application level, ensuring that all requests to the /exams/edit-rule endpoint include proper authentication and role verification. The system must validate user permissions against the specific exam rule being modified, implementing principle of least privilege where only authorized administrators can perform rule modifications. Input validation and parameter sanitization should be enhanced to prevent parameter tampering attacks, while audit logging should be implemented to track all rule modification activities. Security testing should include penetration testing of all endpoints to identify similar access control vulnerabilities, and the implementation of automated access control testing as part of continuous integration pipelines. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify and remediate similar issues across the platform. Additionally, implementing proper session management and ensuring that access control decisions are consistently enforced across all application components will help prevent unauthorized modifications to exam configurations. The remediation process should include code reviews to identify and fix similar access control issues in other endpoints, ensuring comprehensive protection of the educational platform's core functionality.