CVE-2006-4099 in Crystal
Summary
by MITRE
Business Objects Crystal Enterprise 9 and 10 generates predictable session identifiers, which allows remote attackers to hijack sessions of other users via WCSID cookie values.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/22/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-4099 affects Business Objects Crystal Enterprise versions 9 and 10, representing a critical session management flaw that compromises application security. This issue stems from the predictable nature of session identifier generation within the web application framework, creating a significant attack vector for unauthorized users seeking to exploit legitimate user sessions. The vulnerability specifically impacts the WCSID cookie values that are used to maintain user authentication states across web requests. According to CWE-330, this weakness falls under the category of "Use of Insufficiently Random Values," which directly relates to the inadequate entropy in session identifier generation. The predictable session identifiers create a pathway for session hijacking attacks that align with techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1566 category for credential access through social engineering and session manipulation.
The technical flaw manifests in the implementation of session management within the Crystal Enterprise web interface where session identifiers are generated using algorithms or methods that produce predictable values. When users authenticate to the system, the application assigns them a session identifier that should be unique and random to prevent unauthorized access to other users' sessions. However, in this case, the session identifier generation algorithm fails to provide sufficient randomness, making it possible for attackers to guess valid session tokens. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it allows remote attackers to perform session hijacking without requiring any authentication credentials or exploiting other system weaknesses. The predictable nature of the session identifiers means that an attacker who intercepts a valid session token can potentially reuse it to impersonate the legitimate user, gaining unauthorized access to their privileges and data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, creating risks for data integrity, confidentiality, and system availability within organizations using affected versions of Business Objects Crystal Enterprise. When attackers successfully hijack sessions, they can access sensitive business intelligence reports, modify or delete data, and potentially escalate privileges within the application. This vulnerability affects organizations that rely on Crystal Enterprise for business reporting and data analysis, where session hijacking could lead to exposure of proprietary business information, financial data, or strategic planning documents. 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 for distributed enterprise environments. Organizations may experience significant business disruption and potential regulatory compliance violations when such session hijacking occurs, especially in industries with strict data protection requirements.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2006-4099 should focus on implementing robust session management practices that ensure proper entropy in session identifier generation. Organizations should immediately upgrade to patched versions of Business Objects Crystal Enterprise that address the predictable session identifier issue, as the vendor would have released security updates to correct this weakness. System administrators should implement additional security controls such as secure cookie attributes including HttpOnly and Secure flags to prevent client-side script access to session cookies. The implementation of proper session timeout mechanisms and automatic session invalidation after periods of inactivity can reduce the window of opportunity for attackers. Organizations should also consider implementing network-level security measures such as intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious session activity and ensure that session identifiers are generated using cryptographically secure random number generators. According to industry best practices and NIST guidelines for secure application development, session management should utilize strong cryptographic methods to ensure that session identifiers cannot be easily predicted or guessed by unauthorized parties. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to verify that session management mechanisms are functioning correctly and that no similar vulnerabilities exist in the broader application ecosystem.