Freshrss Unauthorized Admin Access Scanner

Freshrss is an open-source RSS feed reader designed to be lightweight and easy to use. It is typically deployed on personal servers or small businesses to aggregate and read different RSS feeds in one place. Administrators use it to manage and curate various news sources for their users. It provides a web-based user interface, allowing users to view news feeds from any internet-connected device. Additionally, developers may modify and extend its capabilities as it is freely available. Organizations often use Freshrss to stay updated with industry news, trends, and competitor activities.

Unauthenticated access is a security vulnerability where unauthorized users can gain access to restricted areas of a system. This vulnerability in Freshrss allows users to access the admin dashboard without proper authentication. As a result, it poses significant security risks, including unauthorized control over the application’s settings and data. The lack of necessary authentication checks can be exploited by attackers to manipulate or extract sensitive information. Ensuring such areas are secure is crucial, particularly for systems handling private data.

The vulnerability exists in the admin dashboard login endpoint of Freshrss, where proper access controls are missing. This absence allows potential attackers to access sensitive admin functionalities without credential requirements. Certain HTTP responses or status codes indicate exposure when probing common paths like "/i/?a=logs". The presence of keywords in the response body such as 'a=logout', 'FreshRSS', and 'c=user&a=profile' confirms the risk. Thus, it is necessary to restrict access, ensuring only authenticated users can reach such points.

If exploited, the vulnerability could allow attackers to perform administrative tasks like adding, modifying, or deleting feeds and user accounts. They could potentially access confidential configurations or initiate actions that could affect all users of the system. This exposure poses a risk of data breach, alteration, or complete service disruption. Moreover, it could also result in the unauthorized dissemination of privileged information, impacting user privacy and system integrity. Prompt action to secure this exposure is critical to prevent malicious activities.