Overview
A Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability has been discovered in Windu CMS, identified as CVE-2025-59110. This vulnerability resides within the user editing functionality of the CMS. The implemented CSRF protection can be bypassed by leveraging a CSRF token belonging to another user. Given that Windu CMS allows open registration, this issue poses a significant risk.
Technical Details
The vulnerability lies in the inadequate validation of the CSRF token during user editing actions. Specifically, the system fails to verify that the submitted CSRF token belongs to the currently authenticated user performing the action. An attacker can exploit this by:
- Creating their own user account on the Windu CMS instance.
- Obtaining the CSRF token generated for their user account during a user editing operation.
- Crafting a malicious HTML page or script containing a request to modify another user’s account details (e.g., email, password). This request includes the stolen CSRF token.
- Tricking a legitimate user (e.g., an administrator) into visiting the malicious page while they are authenticated to Windu CMS.
- When the user visits the malicious page, their browser will automatically send the forged request to the Windu CMS server, effectively modifying the targeted user’s account on behalf of the attacker.
This bypass works because the server only validates the *presence* of a token, but not the token’s *ownership* by the acting user.
Confirmed Vulnerable Version: Version 4.1. Other versions were not explicitly tested and may also be vulnerable.
Vendor Response: The vendor was notified of the vulnerability but did not respond with specific details regarding affected versions or a patch.
CVSS Analysis
Due to the vendor’s lack of response, a formal CVSS score has not been assigned. However, considering the potential impact, the vulnerability could be classified as:
- Severity: High
- CVSS Score: Awaiting calculation but likely in the range of 7.0 – 9.0 (High) due to the potential for account takeover.
This assessment is based on the ease of exploitation (requiring only user interaction) and the significant impact of potentially compromising user accounts.
Possible Impact
Successful exploitation of this CSRF vulnerability can lead to a range of severe consequences, including:
- User Account Takeover: Attackers can change user passwords and gain complete control of their accounts.
- Privilege Escalation: If an administrator account is compromised, attackers can gain full control over the Windu CMS instance.
- Data Breaches: Compromised accounts can be used to access and exfiltrate sensitive data stored within the CMS.
- Website Defacement: Attackers can modify website content, inject malicious scripts, or completely deface the website.
- Spam and Phishing Campaigns: Compromised accounts can be used to send spam or phishing emails, damaging the reputation of the website and its users.
Mitigation or Patch Steps
Since the vendor has not released a patch, the following mitigation steps are recommended:
- Disable Open Registration (If Possible): Restricting user registration can limit the attacker’s ability to create accounts and obtain valid CSRF tokens.
- Implement Robust CSRF Protection: Ensure that CSRF tokens are properly validated on the server-side, verifying not only their presence but also that they belong to the currently authenticated user performing the action. Consider using techniques like Double Submit Cookies or synchronizer token patterns with proper session management.
- Web Application Firewall (WAF): Deploy a WAF and configure it with rules to detect and block suspicious requests containing CSRF tokens from unknown origins.
- User Education: Educate users about the risks of CSRF attacks and advise them to be cautious about clicking on links from untrusted sources.
- Upgrade to a Patched Version (When Available): Monitor the Windu CMS website for updates and promptly install any patches addressing this vulnerability.
- Consider migrating to a more secure CMS: If the vendor is unresponsive, evaluate the cost and effort involved in migrating to a more actively maintained and secure CMS platform.
