CVE-2002-1656 in X-News
Summary
by MITRE
X-News (x_news) 1.1 and earlier allows attackers to authenticate as other users by obtaining the MD5 checksum of the password, e.g. via sniffing or the users.txt data file, and providing it in a cookie.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/02/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2002-1656 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw in X-News version 1.1 and earlier implementations. This security weakness stems from the improper handling of user credentials within the application's authentication mechanism, creating a pathway for unauthorized access to user accounts. The vulnerability specifically targets the password storage and validation process, where MD5 checksums are used to verify user authentication rather than implementing proper cryptographic hashing with salted values.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through two primary vectors that demonstrate poor security design practices. Attackers can obtain MD5 checksums of user passwords through network packet sniffing attacks, which exposes the system to man-in-the-middle threats, or by directly accessing the users.txt data file that contains these hashed credentials. Once obtained, these checksums can be injected into authentication cookies, effectively allowing attackers to impersonate legitimate users without knowing their actual passwords. This flaw directly violates security principle of least privilege and demonstrates a failure in proper access control implementation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, creating significant risks for system integrity and data confidentiality. When attackers can authenticate as other users, they gain access to sensitive information, can modify user accounts, and potentially escalate privileges within the system. The vulnerability affects the fundamental security model of the application, as it allows for credential compromise through passive reconnaissance rather than requiring active exploitation. This characteristic makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in network environments where traffic interception is feasible, and it represents a failure in implementing proper session management and authentication protocols.
This vulnerability aligns with multiple CWE classifications including CWE-256, which addresses the storage of passwords in cleartext or weakly hashed formats, and CWE-312, which covers the exposure of sensitive information through improper handling of authentication credentials. The attack pattern corresponds to techniques found in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1110, specifically credential access through the exploitation of weak authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability also reflects poor implementation of security controls related to authentication and session management, demonstrating that the system failed to properly validate user credentials and maintain secure session states.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper cryptographic practices and authentication mechanisms. The most critical remediation involves replacing MD5 hashing with stronger cryptographic algorithms such as bcrypt, scrypt, or PBKDF2, along with implementing proper salt values for each password hash. Additionally, the application must be configured to prevent unauthorized access to the users.txt file through proper file permissions and access controls. Network-level protections should be implemented to prevent packet sniffing attacks, including the use of encrypted communication channels such as HTTPS or TLS protocols. The system should also implement proper session management with secure cookie attributes, including HttpOnly and Secure flags, to prevent cookie-based attacks and ensure that authentication tokens are properly protected against interception and misuse.