CVE-2024-28671
📋 TL;DR
DedeCMS v5.7 contains a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the /dede/stepselect_main.php endpoint. This allows attackers to trick authenticated administrators into performing unintended actions by visiting malicious web pages. Only DedeCMS v5.7 installations with administrative access are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- DedeCMS
📦 What is this software?
Dedecms by Dedecms
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attackers could gain administrative control over the CMS, modify content, install backdoors, or compromise the entire web server.
Likely Case
Attackers could modify website content, inject malicious scripts, or create administrative accounts for persistent access.
If Mitigated
With proper CSRF protections and administrative awareness, exploitation would be prevented despite the vulnerability existing.
🎯 Exploit Status
CSRF attacks are well-understood and easy to weaponize once the vulnerable endpoint is identified.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Unknown
Vendor Advisory: Not available
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
No official patch available. Consider upgrading to a newer version if available or implementing workarounds.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Implement CSRF Tokens
allAdd anti-CSRF tokens to all administrative forms and validate them server-side
Manual code modification required - add token generation and validation to /dede/stepselect_main.php
Restrict Administrative Access
allLimit administrative access to trusted IP addresses only
Add IP restrictions to .htaccess or web server configuration for /dede/ directory
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict SameSite cookie policies and require re-authentication for sensitive actions
- Use web application firewalls (WAF) with CSRF protection rules
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if /dede/stepselect_main.php endpoint exists and lacks CSRF protection by examining form submissionsCheck Version:
Check DedeCMS version in admin panel or system configuration filesVerify Fix Applied:
Test that all administrative forms require and validate CSRF tokens📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Multiple administrative actions from same session in rapid succession
- Unusual administrative actions from unexpected user agents
Network Indicators:
- HTTP POST requests to /dede/stepselect_main.php without Referer headers or from external domains
SIEM Query:
web_access_logs WHERE (uri CONTAINS '/dede/stepselect_main.php' AND method = 'POST') AND (referer NOT CONTAINS own_domain OR referer IS NULL)