Quantum Secular Labs / Blog / Advisories

CVE-2016-9836: Joomla!: Improper Access Control

CVE-2016-9836 is rated critical with a CVSS v3.0 base score of 9.8 and affects Joomla!. Per its scoring, it can be exploited over the network, without authentication, without any user interaction. The scored impact on confidentiality, integrity and availability is the highest available.

Vulnerability description

The file scanning mechanism of JFilterInput::isFileSafe() in Joomla! CMS before 3.6.5 does not consider alternative PHP file extensions when checking uploaded files for PHP content, which enables a user to upload and execute files with the `.php6`, `.php7`, `.phtml`, and `.phpt` extensions. Additionally, JHelperMedia::canUpload() did not blacklist these file extensions as uploadable file types.

Severity breakdown

CVSS v3.0 9.8: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

  • Attack vector: Network. Exploitable remotely over the network, with no need for local or physical access.
  • Attack complexity: Low. No special conditions; the attack can be repeated reliably.
  • Privileges required: None. No account or prior access is needed.
  • User interaction: None. No action from any user is needed.
  • Scope: Unchanged. Impact stays within the vulnerable component.
  • Confidentiality impact: High. Total loss of confidentiality; sensitive data can be fully disclosed.
  • Integrity impact: High. Total loss of integrity; data or system state can be fully modified.
  • Availability impact: High. Total loss of availability; the component can be shut down.

Underlying weakness

CWE-284: Improper Access Control

The product does not restrict or incorrectly restricts access to a resource from an unauthorized actor.

Affected products

  • Joomla!: up to and including 3.6.4

References