Unsecured System Access Permissions Breach
In a worrying development, several prominent German websites have been found to have a Broken Access Control vulnerability, as per recent cybersecurity reports. This type of flaw can enable hackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive user data, delete or modify accounts, and deploy malicious payloads.
The vulnerability, known as Insecure Direct Object References (IDOR), allows unauthorized access through simple URL manipulation. For instance, an attacker can view another user's profile by altering the unique user ID in the Google Sites URL.
Moreover, the admin panel of these affected websites can be accessed without any authentication or restrictions, confirming the broken access control flaw. An attacker can also access restricted admin pages if the website doesn't block unauthorized access.
The admin panel in these websites houses a 'Delete user' function. Interestingly, selecting the user 'carlos' and confirming deletion results in a message stating 'Congratulations, you solved the lab!', suggesting that the function might be intended for testing purposes rather than actual user deletion.
It's worth noting that in some applications, data provided in a request is used directly without verification. This can lead to potential exploitation by hackers.
Hackers can exploit these broken access control flaws to reach resources and services that should only be available to authorized users. This can pose a significant risk to both the users and the websites involved.
These issues are discussed in the context of OWASP Top 10 risks, a globally recognized list of the most critical security risks to web applications. While specific named popular public websites in Germany with such exposed vulnerabilities were not explicitly listed in the provided sources, it underscores the importance of regular security audits and updates for all web applications.
It is crucial for website owners and operators to ensure that their applications check permissions properly to prevent unauthorized access to user accounts and sensitive data. By doing so, they can help protect their users and maintain the integrity of their platforms.
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