CVE-2007-1949 in Content Management System
Summary
by MITRE
Session fixation vulnerability in WebBlizzard CMS allows remote attackers to hijack web sessions by setting a PHPSESSID cookie.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/18/2017
The CVE-2007-1949 vulnerability represents a critical session fixation flaw within the WebBlizzard content management system that exposes web applications to remote session hijacking attacks. This vulnerability specifically targets the PHPSESSID cookie mechanism, which is fundamental to session management in PHP-based web applications. The flaw enables malicious actors to exploit the session handling process by setting a predetermined session identifier that remains unchanged throughout the user's browsing session, creating a persistent security risk that can be leveraged for unauthorized access to user accounts and sensitive application data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper session management practices within the WebBlizzard CMS codebase. When users authenticate to the system, the application generates a session identifier but fails to regenerate this identifier upon successful login. This design flaw allows attackers to obtain a valid session ID through various means such as social engineering, cross-site scripting attacks, or by directly manipulating cookies. Once an attacker has obtained a valid session ID, they can use it to impersonate legitimate users and gain unauthorized access to their accounts, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the session management component that should enforce secure session handling practices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited repeatedly. Attackers can maintain access to compromised sessions for extended periods, enabling them to monitor user activities, steal sensitive information, modify data, or even escalate privileges within the system. The remote nature of this vulnerability means that attackers do not require physical access to the target system or network, making it particularly dangerous in web environments where applications are accessible from anywhere on the internet. This flaw directly violates fundamental security principles and can result in significant data breaches, especially when the CMS is used to manage sensitive user information or administrative functions.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including the enforcement of session regeneration upon successful authentication, which aligns with the security best practices outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and the CWE-384 standard for session management. The fix involves ensuring that each successful login triggers a new session identifier generation, effectively breaking any existing session fixation attacks. Additionally, implementing proper cookie security attributes such as HttpOnly, Secure, and SameSite flags can significantly reduce the attack surface. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following the ATT&CK framework's session management techniques, where adversaries often leverage session fixation as part of broader attack chains. Organizations should conduct regular security assessments and code reviews to identify similar session management flaws in their applications, as this vulnerability demonstrates how seemingly simple session handling mechanisms can create significant security risks when not properly implemented.