CVE-2008-6131 in moziloWiki
Summary
by MITRE
Session fixation vulnerability in moziloWiki 1.0.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to hijack web sessions by setting the PHPSESSID parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/28/2018
The CVE-2008-6131 vulnerability represents a critical session fixation flaw in moziloWiki versions 1.0.1 and earlier, exposing web applications to unauthorized session hijacking attacks. This vulnerability specifically targets the PHP session management mechanism by allowing remote attackers to manipulate the PHPSESSID parameter, which serves as the primary identifier for user sessions within the web application. The flaw stems from inadequate session handling practices that fail to regenerate session identifiers upon successful authentication, creating a persistent vulnerability that can be exploited by malicious actors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the fundamental weakness in how moziloWiki manages PHP sessions during the authentication process. When users log into the application, the system does not properly regenerate the session identifier, leaving the original session token unchanged and predictable. Attackers can leverage this by obtaining a valid session identifier through various means such as cross-site scripting attacks, man-in-the-middle interception, or by simply knowing the initial session token that was assigned to a user. Once the attacker has this token, they can use it to impersonate the legitimate user and gain unauthorized access to their session, effectively hijacking the web session and potentially accessing sensitive data or performing unauthorized actions within the application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can lead to complete compromise of user accounts and potential data breaches within the web application. The session fixation vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that allows attackers to maintain access to user sessions even after the initial authentication has occurred, making it particularly dangerous for applications that handle sensitive information or require secure user authentication. This vulnerability directly violates security best practices outlined in the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) Top Ten, specifically addressing the issue of session management weaknesses that can be exploited to maintain persistent access to user accounts. The flaw also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1548.003, which covers abuse of session tokens for privilege escalation and persistent access.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-6131 require immediate implementation of proper session management practices within the moziloWiki application. The primary remediation involves ensuring that session identifiers are regenerated upon successful user authentication, a practice that prevents attackers from using previously obtained session tokens to hijack active sessions. Security measures should include implementing automatic session regeneration after login events, using secure session cookie attributes such as HttpOnly and Secure flags, and implementing proper session timeout mechanisms. Additionally, the application should enforce strict session validation checks and implement mechanisms to detect and prevent session replay attacks. Organizations should also consider upgrading to newer versions of moziloWiki that have addressed this vulnerability, as the original version lacks proper session management security controls. The vulnerability serves as a prime example of why session management should follow established security standards such as those defined in NIST SP 800-63B and ISO/IEC 27001, which emphasize the importance of secure session handling to prevent unauthorized access and maintain user privacy and data integrity throughout the application lifecycle.