CVE-2023-48653 : Security Advisory and Response

Concrete CMS before 8.5.14 and 9 before 9.2.3 allows Cross Site Request Forgery (CSRF) via ccm/calendar/dialogs/event/delete/submit. An attacker can force an admin to delete events on the site because the event ID is numeric and sequential.

Understanding CVE-2023-48653

This CVE highlights a CSRF vulnerability in Concrete CMS versions prior to 8.5.14 and 9 before 9.2.3 that could be exploited to manipulate events on the site.

What is CVE-2023-48653?

CVE-2023-48653 pertains to a vulnerability in Concrete CMS that enables Cross Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attacks through a specific endpoint, allowing malicious actors to trick administrators into deleting events.

The Impact of CVE-2023-48653

The impact of this vulnerability is significant as it can lead to unauthorized deletion or manipulation of events by exploiting the sequential nature of event IDs, posing a risk to the integrity of the system.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-48653

This section provides detailed insights into the vulnerability, affected systems, and exploitation mechanisms.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in Concrete CMS versions prior to 8.5.14 and 9 before 9.2.3 allows CSRF attacks via the ccm/calendar/dialogs/event/delete/submit endpoint, enabling attackers to coerce admins into unintentionally deleting events.

Affected Systems and Versions

The affected systems include Concrete CMS instances running versions older than 8.5.14 and 9.2.3. Users of these versions are at risk of CSRF attacks targeting event deletion functionality.

Exploitation Mechanism

By exploiting the sequential nature of event IDs within Concrete CMS, attackers can construct malicious requests to trick administrators into executing unauthorized event deletions.

Mitigation and Prevention

To safeguard systems against CVE-2023-48653, immediate steps and long-term security practices should be implemented.

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade Concrete CMS to versions 8.5.14 and 9.2.3 or newer to patch the CSRF vulnerability and prevent unauthorized event deletions.
Educate administrators about the risks of CSRF attacks and the importance of verifying actions before execution.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch CMS installations to ensure protection against known vulnerabilities.
Implement security measures such as CSRF tokens and user authentication to mitigate the risk of CSRF attacks.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates and advisories from Concrete CMS to apply patches promptly and prevent exploitation of vulnerabilities.