CVE-2008-2269 in AustinSmoke GasTracker
Summary
by MITRE
AustinSmoke GasTracker (AS-GasTracker) 1.0.0 allows remote attackers to bypass authentication and gain privileges by setting the gastracker_admin cookie to TRUE.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/22/2024
The AustinSmoke GasTracker version 1.0.0 represents a critical web application vulnerability that demonstrates a fundamental flaw in authentication mechanism implementation. This vulnerability falls under the category of insecure direct object reference and weak session management issues, which are commonly exploited by attackers to gain unauthorized access to administrative functions. The software fails to properly validate user privileges before granting access to administrative features, creating a dangerous attack surface that can be exploited remotely without requiring any legitimate credentials.
The technical flaw in this vulnerability stems from the improper handling of session cookies within the web application's authentication system. Specifically, the application relies on a client-side cookie named gastracker_admin to determine administrative privileges. When an attacker sets this cookie value to TRUE, the application accepts this unauthenticated assertion of administrative rights without performing proper server-side validation. This represents a classic case of trust boundary violation where client-side data is trusted without verification, violating the principle of least privilege and secure authentication practices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows remote attackers to completely bypass the application's authentication mechanisms and assume administrative roles. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability from any location without requiring physical access to the system or knowledge of valid user credentials. This creates a significant risk for organizations using this software, as unauthorized individuals can modify system configurations, access sensitive data, and potentially compromise the entire application infrastructure. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the GasTracker application, making it a critical security concern that requires immediate remediation.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1566 for credential harvesting and T1078 for valid accounts. It also corresponds to CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication and CWE-352 which covers cross-site request forgery. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of server-side validation and proper session management practices. Organizations should implement proper input validation, use secure session management techniques, and ensure that administrative privileges are verified through robust authentication mechanisms rather than relying on client-side cookie values. Mitigation strategies should include implementing proper access controls, disabling the use of client-side privilege flags, and ensuring that all administrative functions require proper authentication and authorization checks before execution.