CVE-2003-1249 in Webintelligence
Summary
by MITRE
WebIntelligence 2.7.1 uses guessable user session cookies, which allows remote attackers to hijack sessions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/16/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2003-1249 represents a critical session management flaw in WebIntelligence 2.7.1, a business intelligence and reporting platform developed by SAP. This issue stems from the application's use of predictable or guessable session identifiers that are generated using insufficient entropy or weak randomization algorithms. The vulnerability creates a significant security risk as it allows remote attackers to predict valid session tokens and subsequently hijack active user sessions without requiring authentication credentials. The flaw directly impacts the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system by enabling unauthorized access to sensitive business intelligence data and reporting functionalities.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the session cookie generation mechanism within WebIntelligence 2.7.1 where session identifiers are not properly randomized or seeded with sufficient cryptographic entropy. Attackers can exploit this weakness by analyzing patterns in session token generation or by using brute force techniques to guess valid session identifiers. This type of vulnerability is classified as a weakness in session management according to CWE-384, which specifically addresses the use of weak session identifiers that can be predicted or guessed. The predictable nature of these session cookies violates fundamental security principles of cryptographic randomness and proper session token generation that are essential for maintaining user authentication state integrity.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability exposes organizations to severe security risks including unauthorized access to sensitive business data, potential data breaches, and compromise of business intelligence systems. Attackers who successfully hijack sessions can access confidential reports, dashboards, and analytical data that may contain proprietary business information, financial data, or strategic insights. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors do not need physical access to the network or system, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous. This weakness can be exploited as part of broader attack campaigns targeting enterprise applications, potentially serving as a foothold for more extensive lateral movement within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability also violates security best practices outlined in the NIST SP 800-53 security controls, specifically addressing session management and authentication requirements.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2003-1249 involve immediate implementation of strong session management practices including the use of cryptographically secure random number generators for session token creation, proper session lifetime management, and implementation of session invalidation mechanisms upon logout or timeout. Organizations should upgrade to patched versions of WebIntelligence or apply appropriate security patches provided by SAP. Additional protective measures include implementing secure session cookie attributes such as HttpOnly and Secure flags, enforcing session regeneration after successful authentication, and monitoring for suspicious session activity. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1566 - Phishing and T1078 - Valid Accounts, as attackers can leverage session hijacking to maintain persistent access to systems. Network segmentation and intrusion detection systems can help identify and prevent exploitation attempts, while regular security assessments should verify that session management mechanisms meet current cryptographic standards and industry best practices for maintaining application security integrity.