CVE-2008-2970 in Academic Web Tools
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple session fixation vulnerabilities in Academic Web Tools (AWT YEKTA) 1.4.3.1, and 1.4.2.8 and earlier, allow remote attackers to hijack web sessions by setting the PHPSESSID parameter to (1) index.php and (2) login.php in homepg/.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/21/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2008-2970 represents a critical session fixation flaw within the Academic Web Tools (AWT YEKTA) web application suite. This vulnerability affects versions 1.4.3.1 and 1.4.2.8 and earlier, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this academic web platform. Session fixation vulnerabilities occur when an application fails to properly invalidate or regenerate session identifiers upon user authentication, allowing attackers to maintain persistent access to user sessions. The specific flaw manifests in two primary locations within the application's file structure, namely index.php and login.php files located in the homepg/ directory, making these attack vectors particularly dangerous as they target core authentication and homepage functionality.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly handle PHP session management during the authentication process. When users access the affected pages, the system does not adequately validate or regenerate session identifiers, allowing attackers to set the PHPSESSID parameter to predetermined values. This flaw directly violates the fundamental security principle that session identifiers should be unpredictable and unique for each user session. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited through simple HTTP parameter manipulation, making it particularly dangerous as it requires minimal technical expertise to execute. Attackers can leverage this weakness to establish a persistent session with a known session identifier, potentially gaining unauthorized access to user accounts and sensitive academic data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple session hijacking, creating cascading security risks for academic institutions and organizations using the AWT YEKTA platform. Successful exploitation allows attackers to maintain access to user sessions indefinitely, potentially enabling data theft, unauthorized modifications to academic records, and privilege escalation attacks. The vulnerability affects not only individual user accounts but also the integrity of the entire academic web system, as compromised sessions can be used to access administrative functions and sensitive information. Organizations may face regulatory compliance issues and potential data breaches, particularly in environments where academic records and student information are stored. The attack surface is further expanded by the fact that the vulnerability exists in multiple versions of the application, increasing the potential exposure window for affected organizations.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate attention from system administrators and security teams responsible for maintaining the AWT YEKTA platform. The most effective immediate solution involves implementing proper session management practices, including the regeneration of session identifiers upon successful authentication and the implementation of secure session handling mechanisms. Organizations should upgrade to patched versions of the AWT YEKTA software where available, as this vulnerability represents a known issue that has likely been addressed in subsequent releases. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and sanitization for session parameters can prevent attackers from manipulating the PHPSESSID parameter. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls and session timeout mechanisms should be deployed to add additional layers of defense. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious session activity and parameter manipulation attempts. According to CWE standards, this vulnerability maps to CWE-384, which specifically addresses session fixation issues, and aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to credential access and privilege escalation through session hijacking. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other web applications within the organization's infrastructure.