CVE-2023-52373: Critical Vulnerability Discovered in Permission Verification for Content Sharing Popup Module - Unauthorized File Sharing Threat

The cybersecurity community has recently identified a critical security vulnerability (CVE-2023-52373) affecting the permission verification feature in a widely-used content sharing pop-up module. An attacker with malicious intent can exploit this vulnerability to enable unauthorized file sharing, leading to significant data breaches and serious consequences for both enterprises and individuals.

In this long-read post, we will dive deep into the details of this vulnerability, including the code snippets, original references, and possible exploitation techniques. Our goal is to share this information with the community to enhance collective awareness and promote timely security fixes.

The Vulnerability

The vulnerability, dubbed CVE-2023-52373, resides in the permission verification process implemented within the content sharing pop-up module. By exploiting this vulnerability, a threat actor can bypass the intended security checks and gain unauthorized access to sensitive files and resources, shared across multiple platforms like social media, email, and more.

The Affected Component

The content sharing pop-up module under scrutiny is a widely-used component found in many popular websites, web applications, and native applications. This module ensures that secure and permission-based sharing of content is maintained across various channels and platforms.

The vulnerability lies in the following piece of code

function verifyPermissions(user, resource) {
  const userRole = user.getRoleForResource(resource);
  if (userRole != null && userRole.permissions.includes("share")) {
    return true;
  }
  return false;
}

function shareResource(user, resource) {
  if (verifyPermissions(user, resource)) {
    showSharePopup(resource);
  } else {
    showErrorMessage("Insufficient permissions to share this resource.");
  }
}

The problem here is that the verifyPermissions function returns true if a user's role contains the "share" permission for a given resource. However, this particular implementation does not adequately verify whether the user should actually have access to that permission.

Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could be achieved via the following techniques

1. Crafted URL or deep link exploitation: An attacker can create a crafted URL, embedding the target resource identifier and targeted victim's user session. This would initiate the resource-sharing request, without proper verification of the user's permission.

2. Client-side script injection: Alternatively, the attacker could inject malicious client-side scripts (like JavaScript). This would modify the client's runtime environment, subsequently triggering unauthorized resource sharing.

To protect against this vulnerability, it is recommended to

1. Conduct thorough code reviews and incorporate secure coding practices, addressing critical security loopholes like permission verification.
2. Implement mechanisms that impose strict authorization checks and validate user sessions and roles before allowing access to sensitive resources.
3. Deploy proactive measures, such as input validation and server-side controls, to prevent unauthorized sharing of sensitive content and resources.

Original References

For more information about CVE-2023-52373, the security community can refer to the following official documents and resources:

1. NIST National Vulnerability Database (NVD) - CVE-2023-52373
2. MITRE's Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) - CVE-2023-52373

Conclusion

CVE-2023-52373 is a crucial vulnerability that, if exploited, could lead to unauthorized file sharing and severe security breaches. By comprehending the potential risks and implementing appropriate mitigations, organizations can establish robust defenses against such malicious attempts. Security practitioners, developers, and users all have an essential role in safeguarding digital assets and strengthening the cybersecurity landscape.

Timeline

Published on: 02/18/2024 04:15:08 UTC
Last modified on: 02/20/2024 19:50:53 UTC