CVE-2001-1532 in WebX
Summary
by MITRE
WebX stores authentication information in the HTTP_REFERER variable, which is included in URL links within bulletin board messages posted by users, which could allow remote attackers to hijack user sessions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/15/2024
This vulnerability resides in the WebX bulletin board system where authentication credentials are improperly stored within the HTTP_REFERER variable. The flaw stems from the application's insecure handling of session management mechanisms, specifically leveraging the referer header as a storage mechanism for sensitive authentication data. When users navigate through bulletin board messages containing URL links, the HTTP_REFERER header automatically includes the authentication information, creating a dangerous exposure vector for session hijacking attacks. The vulnerability represents a classic case of improper credential storage and session management, where sensitive data should never be embedded within HTTP headers that are automatically transmitted with every request. This design flaw allows attackers to extract authentication tokens from the referer header when users click on links within bulletin board posts, enabling unauthorized access to user sessions without requiring additional authentication credentials. The issue directly violates security best practices for session management and authentication handling, creating a persistent threat vector that remains active as long as users interact with bulletin board content. According to CWE guidelines, this vulnerability maps to CWE-522 which addresses insufficiently protected credentials, and CWE-312 which covers the exposure of sensitive information through improper data handling. The operational impact is significant as it allows remote attackers to seamlessly hijack active user sessions simply by crafting malicious links within bulletin board messages. This enables attackers to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of legitimate users, potentially leading to complete account compromise and access to sensitive user data. The attack vector is particularly insidious because it requires minimal technical expertise from the attacker and can be executed through simple message posting within the bulletin board system itself. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering attacks, as attackers can exploit the trust users place in bulletin board content to execute session hijacking. Mitigation strategies should focus on eliminating the use of HTTP_REFERER for authentication storage and implementing proper session management practices including secure session tokens, proper session invalidation, and ensuring that authentication information is never embedded within URL parameters or HTTP headers. Additionally, input validation and output encoding should be implemented to prevent the automatic inclusion of authentication data in URLs, and proper access controls should be enforced to limit the exposure of session information through various HTTP headers. The system should also implement secure cookie attributes and ensure that authentication tokens are handled exclusively through secure, dedicated session management mechanisms rather than being embedded within user-facing URLs.