CVE-2004-2243 in Phorum
Summary
by MITRE
Phorum allows remote attackers to hijack sessions of other users by stealing and replaying the session hash in the phorum_uriauth parameter, as demonstrated using profile.php. NOTE: the affected version was reported to be 4.3.7, but this may be erroneous.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/25/2018
This vulnerability represents a critical session hijacking flaw in the Phorum web forum software that enables remote attackers to gain unauthorized access to user accounts through manipulation of session identifiers. The vulnerability specifically affects the phorum_uriauth parameter within the profile.php script, where session hashes can be stolen and replayed to impersonate legitimate users. The technical mechanism involves the insecure handling of session authentication tokens, allowing attackers to capture valid session data and reuse it against the target system. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of session management weaknesses that can be classified as CWE-384, which addresses session fixation and hijacking issues in web applications. The attack vector operates through the exploitation of predictable or improperly managed session identifiers, enabling unauthorized access without requiring valid credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can lead to complete account takeover and potential privilege escalation within the forum environment. Attackers can leverage this weakness to read private messages, post malicious content, modify user profiles, and potentially access administrative functions if the hijacked session belongs to an administrator or privileged user. The vulnerability's exploitation demonstrates a fundamental flaw in the application's authentication architecture, where session tokens are not properly validated or regenerated upon user login. This weakness can be particularly dangerous in environments where users have varying levels of access permissions, as the compromise of a single session can potentially provide access to sensitive forum data and user information. The attack can be executed without requiring any special privileges or knowledge of user credentials, making it a significant threat to forum security.
Security professionals should implement multiple layers of mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability effectively. The primary recommendation involves implementing proper session management practices including secure session token generation, automatic session regeneration upon login, and proper session validation mechanisms. Organizations should also consider implementing additional authentication controls such as IP address monitoring, session timeout mechanisms, and multi-factor authentication where possible. The vulnerability's exploitation aligns with techniques described in the attack pattern taxonomy under ATT&CK framework category T1566, which covers credential access through various session management flaws. Additionally, this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and parameter handling security measures as outlined in CWE-20, which addresses improper input validation in software applications. Regular security audits and code reviews focusing on session management components are essential to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced into web applications. The affected version reported as 4.3.7 indicates that this was a known issue in older versions of the software, highlighting the importance of keeping web applications updated with security patches. Organizations using Phorum or similar forum software should ensure immediate patching of this vulnerability and implement comprehensive monitoring for suspicious session activity patterns.