CVE-2020-15181
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in the Alfresco Reset Password add-on allows attackers to gain administrative access by exploiting untrusted input validation flaws. All servers running affected versions of this add-on are vulnerable. The issue enables privilege escalation to admin-level control.
💻 Affected Systems
- Alfresco Reset Password add-on
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise with administrative privileges, allowing data theft, system modification, and further lateral movement.
Likely Case
Unauthorized administrative access leading to data exposure, configuration changes, and potential persistence mechanisms.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper network segmentation and monitoring, but still represents significant authentication bypass risk.
🎯 Exploit Status
The advisory suggests exploitation is straightforward once the vulnerability is understood.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 1.2.0
Vendor Advisory: https://github.com/FlexSolution/AlfrescoResetPassword/security/advisories/GHSA-xrc8-fjp4-h4fv
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Backup current configuration. 2. Download version 1.2.0 from the GitHub repository. 3. Replace the existing add-on files with the patched version. 4. Restart the Alfresco application server.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable the add-on
allTemporarily disable the Alfresco Reset Password add-on until patching can be completed.
Remove or rename the add-on JAR file from the Alfresco modules directory
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network access controls to limit access to the Alfresco instance
- Enable detailed authentication logging and monitor for suspicious password reset attempts
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check the version of the Alfresco Reset Password add-on in the Alfresco admin console or module directory.Check Version:
Check the JAR file name or manifest in the Alfresco modules directory for version information.Verify Fix Applied:
Verify the add-on version shows 1.2.0 or higher in the Alfresco admin interface.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual password reset attempts, especially for admin accounts
- Authentication logs showing admin access from unexpected sources
Network Indicators:
- HTTP requests to password reset endpoints with unusual parameters
SIEM Query:
source="alfresco" AND (event_type="password_reset" OR event_type="authentication") AND user="admin"🔗 References
- https://github.com/FlexSolution/AlfrescoResetPassword/commit/5927b9651356c4cd952cb9b485292583d305b47c
- https://github.com/FlexSolution/AlfrescoResetPassword/security/advisories/GHSA-xrc8-fjp4-h4fv
- https://github.com/FlexSolution/AlfrescoResetPassword/commit/5927b9651356c4cd952cb9b485292583d305b47c
- https://github.com/FlexSolution/AlfrescoResetPassword/security/advisories/GHSA-xrc8-fjp4-h4fv
