CVE-2020-23722
📋 TL;DR
FUEL CMS 1.4.7 contains an authorization bypass vulnerability that allows attackers to escalate privileges to super admin level by manipulating 'id' and 'fuel_id' parameters. This affects all installations running the vulnerable version. Attackers can gain complete administrative control over the CMS.
💻 Affected Systems
- FUEL CMS
📦 What is this software?
Fuel Cms by Thedaylightstudio
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete compromise of the CMS installation allowing attackers to modify content, steal data, install backdoors, and pivot to other systems.
Likely Case
Attackers gain administrative access to modify website content, deface pages, or steal sensitive information stored in the CMS.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if proper network segmentation and monitoring are in place, but CMS functionality remains compromised.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires some level of access but the technique is straightforward once access is obtained.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 1.4.8 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://github.com/daylightstudio/FUEL-CMS/issues/560
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Backup your current installation. 2. Download FUEL CMS 1.4.8 or later from the official repository. 3. Replace the vulnerable files with patched versions. 4. Verify the installation works correctly.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Parameter Validation
allAdd server-side validation for 'id' and 'fuel_id' parameters to prevent unauthorized privilege escalation.
Access Restriction
allImplement strict access controls and IP whitelisting for administrative interfaces.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to block requests with suspicious parameter manipulation
- Isolate the CMS instance from critical systems and implement strict network segmentation
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if running FUEL CMS version 1.4.7 by examining the version file or admin interface.Check Version:
Check /fuel/application/config/MY_fuel.php or admin dashboard for version informationVerify Fix Applied:
Verify installation shows version 1.4.8 or later and test parameter manipulation attempts fail.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual parameter values for 'id' or 'fuel_id'
- Multiple failed login attempts followed by successful admin access
- Administrative actions from unexpected IP addresses
Network Indicators:
- HTTP requests with manipulated 'id' or 'fuel_id' parameters
- Unusual traffic patterns to admin interfaces
SIEM Query:
source="web_logs" AND (uri_path="*fuel*" OR uri_path="*admin*") AND (param_name="id" OR param_name="fuel_id") AND param_value!=""