CVE-2026-14953 in FDS
Summary
by MITRE • 08/20/2026
A low-privileged remote attacker can enumerate all configured users and identify which accounts hold elevated privileges using the endpoint /api/user/fetch-all.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/20/2026
The vulnerability identified in this scenario represents a critical failure in access control mechanisms within the web application's user management module. Specifically, the endpoint designated as api/user/fetch-all.php lacks adequate authorization checks to restrict data retrieval based on the caller's privilege level. This flaw allows any authenticated user with low-level privileges, or potentially unauthenticated users depending on the specific implementation of session validation, to invoke this API and retrieve a comprehensive list of all configured system accounts. The significance of this vulnerability lies not merely in the exposure of usernames but in the subsequent ability to map out the administrative structure of the target environment by identifying which accounts possess elevated privileges such as administrator or superuser roles.
From a technical perspective, this issue is classified under CWE-284 Improper Access Control and more specifically aligns with CWE-613 Insufficient Session Expiration if session tokens are reused without proper validation during enumeration. The root cause typically stems from the server-side logic failing to verify whether the requesting user has the necessary permissions to view sensitive identity data. In many modern web architectures, API endpoints often assume that basic authentication is sufficient for all operations within a module, neglecting role-based access control checks at the individual endpoint level. This oversight creates an information disclosure vector where internal architectural details and security boundaries are exposed to potential adversaries without requiring complex exploitation techniques or privilege escalation exploits beyond initial low-level access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends significantly beyond simple data leakage. By enumerating all users and identifying those with elevated privileges, a threat actor can conduct targeted attacks against high-value accounts. This includes credential stuffing, phishing campaigns tailored to specific administrators, or brute-force attempts focused on known administrative usernames which are often easier to guess than random strings. Furthermore, this information aids in lateral movement within the network if combined with other vulnerabilities such as weak password policies or lack of multi-factor authentication for those identified privileged accounts. The attacker gains a clear map of high-value targets, reducing the effort required to compromise critical system components and increasing the likelihood of successful unauthorized access to sensitive data or control over infrastructure resources.
Mitigation strategies must focus on implementing strict role-based access controls at both the application logic and API gateway levels. Developers should ensure that endpoints handling sensitive identity information verify not only authentication but also authorization, ensuring that only users with specific administrative roles can invoke functions like fetch-all.php. Additionally, adhering to the principle of least privilege is essential; default configurations should restrict data visibility unless explicitly granted by an administrator. Input validation and rate limiting on API endpoints can further mitigate automated enumeration attacks. Security teams should also conduct regular code reviews focusing on access control logic and perform penetration testing that specifically targets information disclosure vulnerabilities in user management modules to identify similar flaws before they are exploited in production environments.