CVE-2020-14961 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Concrete5 before 8.5.3 allows for an unvalidated sort direction, potentially leading to security vulnerabilities.

Understanding CVE-2020-14961

Concrete5 version before 8.5.3 is susceptible to a security issue due to improper handling of sort directions.

What is CVE-2020-14961?

Concrete5 prior to version 8.5.3 lacks proper validation for sort directions, allowing for potential security risks.

The Impact of CVE-2020-14961

The vulnerability could be exploited by attackers to manipulate sort directions, leading to security breaches and unauthorized access.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-14961

Concrete5 before version 8.5.3 is affected by a flaw that allows unvalidated sort directions.

Vulnerability Description

Concrete5 does not restrict sort direction values to valid 'asc' or 'desc,' potentially enabling malicious activities.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Concrete5
Vendor: N/A
Versions: All versions before 8.5.3

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by manipulating sort directions to gain unauthorized access or disrupt system functionality.

Mitigation and Prevention

Concrete5 users should take immediate action to secure their systems against CVE-2020-14961.

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade to Concrete5 version 8.5.3 or later to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor system logs for any suspicious activities related to sort direction manipulation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch Concrete5 to prevent known vulnerabilities.
Implement access controls and user permissions to limit the impact of potential security breaches.
Conduct security audits and penetration testing to identify and address any security weaknesses.

Patching and Updates

Concrete5 has released version 8.5.3, which addresses the vulnerability. Users are advised to update their installations promptly.