CVE-2020-10228
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows authenticated users in vtecrm vtenext 19 CE to upload malicious .pht files, which can lead to remote code execution on the server. Any organization using the vulnerable version of this CRM software is affected. Attackers can gain full control of the system through this file upload flaw.
💻 Affected Systems
- vtecrm vtenext
📦 What is this software?
Vtenext by Vtenext
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code, steal sensitive data, install backdoors, pivot to other systems, and maintain persistent access.
Likely Case
Attackers upload web shells to gain administrative access, exfiltrate customer data, and potentially use the system as a foothold for further attacks.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper file upload restrictions, web application firewalls, and network segmentation preventing lateral movement.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploit code is publicly available on Exploit-DB (ID 48804), making this easily exploitable by attackers with basic skills.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Not specified
Vendor Advisory: Not available
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
No official patch available. Consider upgrading to a newer version if available, or implement workarounds and monitoring.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
File Upload Restriction
allConfigure web server or application to block .pht file uploads and other dangerous extensions
# Apache: Add to .htaccess
<FilesMatch "\.(pht|php|phtml|phar)$">
Order Allow,Deny
Deny from all
</FilesMatch>
# Nginx: Add to server block
location ~ \.(pht|php|phtml|phar)$ {
deny all;
}
Web Application Firewall Rules
allImplement WAF rules to block .pht file uploads and suspicious upload patterns
# ModSecurity rule example
SecRule FILES_TMPNAMES "@rx \.pht$" "id:1001,phase:2,deny,msg:'Blocked .pht file upload'"
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict file upload validation: only allow specific safe extensions, validate file content, store uploads outside web root
- Restrict authenticated user permissions: implement least privilege, monitor user activity, segment network access to CRM system
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if running vtenext 19 CE version. Attempt to upload a test .pht file (with safe content) through authenticated interface.Check Version:
# Check version in application interface or configuration files
# Typically found in admin panel or version.php filesVerify Fix Applied:
Test that .pht file uploads are blocked and existing .pht files cannot be executed. Verify WAF rules or file restrictions are active.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- File upload attempts with .pht extension
- Unusual file creation in upload directories
- POST requests to upload endpoints with suspicious filenames
Network Indicators:
- HTTP POST requests with .pht file uploads
- Unusual outbound connections from CRM server
SIEM Query:
source="web_server" AND (url="*upload*" AND filename="*.pht") OR (method="POST" AND uri="*upload*" AND user_agent="*" AND status="200")