CVE-2019-20876 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A vulnerability has been identified in Mattermost Server versions prior to 5.9.0, 5.8.1, 5.7.3, and 4.10.8, allowing users to disable their own accounts and bypass existing policies.

Understanding CVE-2019-20876

This CVE refers to an issue in Mattermost Server that enables users to deactivate themselves, circumventing established policies.

What is CVE-2019-20876?

CVE-2019-20876 is a vulnerability in Mattermost Server versions before 5.9.0, 5.8.1, 5.7.3, and 4.10.8, which permits users to disable their accounts, thus bypassing existing policies.

The Impact of CVE-2019-20876

The vulnerability allows users to bypass security policies by deactivating their own accounts, potentially leading to unauthorized access and security breaches.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-20876

This section provides technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The issue in Mattermost Server versions prior to 5.9.0, 5.8.1, 5.7.3, and 4.10.8 allows users to deactivate their accounts, which can lead to policy bypass.

Affected Systems and Versions

Mattermost Server versions before 5.9.0
Mattermost Server versions before 5.8.1
Mattermost Server versions before 5.7.3
Mattermost Server versions before 4.10.8

Exploitation Mechanism

Users can exploit this vulnerability by deactivating their own accounts, thereby circumventing security policies.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your systems from CVE-2019-20876 with the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade Mattermost Server to version 5.9.0 or higher.
Implement strong user authentication and access control measures.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly review and update security policies and procedures.
Conduct security training for users to prevent unauthorized actions.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches and updates provided by Mattermost to address this vulnerability.