Vulnerability in new user creation in Geeklog 1.3

From: Woody Hughes (woodyat_private)
Date: Thu Jan 03 2002 - 20:37:14 PST

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    I have discovered a serious security flaw with new user creation in the
    latest version of Geeklog--Version 1.3 on December 30th, 2001.
    
    Product Information: Geeklog is a popular weblog. It allows you to
    create your own virtual community area, complete with user
    administration, story posting, messaging, and other nice features.
    
    Vulnerability: When the first, new user is created during a fresh
    installation of Geeklog, that regular user is assigned to the GroupAdmin
    Group, and subsequently, is a member of the UserAdmin Group. This is a
    major issue, because if the website is rolled out to the public, in
    theory, the first new user registered would have Admin rights, which
    would allow the new user to have control over Geeklog, and subsequently,
    the entire website.
    
    I have submitted a bug report to the author, in order to give him ample
    time in fixing this issue. It has been fixed, and posted today at the
    geeklog website at http://www.geeklog.org
    
    Fix: Per Geeklog's website: If you already have installed a fresh
    version of Geeklog 1.3 then you need to edit the user with a uid of 13.
    To get that, do a "SELECT username FROM users WHERE uid = 13" in your
    favorite MySQL editor. Then in the admin/users.php page edit that user
    and uncheck both the GroupAdmin Group AND the UserAdmin Group and be
    sure to leave the Normal User and Logged-in User boxes checked. 
    
    
    --
    Regards,
    
    Woody Hughes
    Sr. Information Security Analyst
    Security Product Services
    Corporate Information Protection
    Wells Fargo
    -------------------------------
    woodyat_private
    -----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK-----
    Version: 3.1
    GE d-(++) s+:++>s+:- a27>-- C++++ UBLS++++$ P+>+++++ L++++$ E---- W++ N
    o? K? w O(-) M-(--) V->V PS---(+) PE--(PE) Y+(Y) PGP++ t 5 X R(+) tv+
    b>+++ DI+++ D+ G-- e* h---- r++++ y?
    ------END GEEK CODE BLOCK------
    http://www.geekcode.com
    



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