CVE-2008-1106 in Red Swoosh
Summary
by MITRE
The management interface in Akamai Client (formerly Red Swoosh) 3322 and earlier allows remote attackers to bypass authentication via an HTTP request that contains (1) no Referer header, or (2) a spoofed Referer header that matches an approved domain, which allows remote attackers to conduct cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks and force the client to download and execute arbitrary files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/01/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-1106 resides within the management interface of Akamai Client software version 3322 and earlier, representing a critical authentication bypass flaw that fundamentally undermines the security posture of the affected system. This vulnerability specifically targets the referer header validation mechanism that was intended to provide access control and request legitimacy verification. The flaw operates by exploiting the software's permissive handling of HTTP requests that either lack a referer header entirely or contain a spoofed referer header that matches an approved domain, creating a dangerous gap in the authentication process that malicious actors can leverage for unauthorized access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and flawed session management within the Akamai Client's web interface. When the system processes HTTP requests without proper referer header validation, it fails to adequately verify the authenticity of incoming requests, allowing attackers to craft malicious requests that appear to originate from trusted sources. This authentication bypass mechanism directly enables cross-site request forgery attacks, where attackers can manipulate the client into performing unauthorized actions by forging requests that the system accepts as legitimate due to the compromised referer header validation logic.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with the capability to force the client system to download and execute arbitrary files. This represents a severe privilege escalation vector that could lead to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and persistent malware installation. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on Akamai Client for content delivery and caching services, potentially exposing their infrastructure to remote exploitation by threat actors who can leverage the authentication bypass to gain administrative control over client systems.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-346, which addresses "Origin Validation Error" and specifically relates to improper validation of the referer header as a security control mechanism. The flaw also maps to ATT&CK technique T1078.004, which covers valid accounts abuse through the exploitation of authentication bypasses, and T1190, which involves exploitation of remote services through web application vulnerabilities. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including disabling the vulnerable management interface, implementing proper referer header validation, and deploying network segmentation controls to limit access to the affected systems. Additionally, regular security assessments and input validation reviews should be conducted to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future implementations, while network monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous referer header patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts.
The remediation strategy should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems to version 3323 or later, which contains the necessary authentication validation fixes. Network administrators should also implement additional security controls such as web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious referer header patterns, and establish strict access control policies that limit management interface access to trusted IP addresses and authenticated users only. Regular security awareness training for system administrators should emphasize the importance of proper input validation and the risks associated with relying on referer headers for security controls, as this vulnerability demonstrates the dangerous assumption that referer headers can be trusted for authentication purposes.