CVE-2008-7019 in Esqlanelapse
Summary
by MITRE
Esqlanelapse 2.6.1 and 2.6.2 allows remote attackers to bypass authentication and gain privileges via modified (1) enombre and (2) euri cookies.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/04/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-7019 affects Esqlanelapse versions 2.6.1 and 2.6.2, representing a critical authentication bypass flaw that enables remote attackers to escalate privileges without proper authorization. This issue stems from insufficient input validation and improper cookie handling mechanisms within the application's authentication framework. The vulnerability specifically targets the manipulation of two critical cookie parameters named enombre and euri, which are essential for maintaining session integrity and user authentication status. When these cookies are modified by an attacker, the system fails to properly validate the altered values, allowing unauthorized access to protected resources and administrative functions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic case of insufficient validation of user-supplied data within the authentication process. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious cookie values that bypass the normal authentication checks, effectively allowing them to assume the identity of other users or gain administrative privileges. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues, and more specifically aligns with CWE-306 which deals with missing authentication for critical functions. The flaw represents a fundamental breakdown in the application's security model where cookie-based session management fails to properly verify the authenticity and integrity of the session tokens.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations using affected versions of Esqlanelapse, as it enables complete compromise of the application's security controls. Remote attackers can leverage this flaw to access sensitive data, modify system configurations, and potentially establish persistent access points within the network. The impact extends beyond simple unauthorized access to include potential data breaches, system corruption, and compromise of the entire application infrastructure. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require physical access or local network presence to exploit the flaw, making it particularly dangerous in environments where network exposure is high.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of Esqlanelapse, implementing proper cookie validation mechanisms, and deploying additional authentication layers. The remediation process should involve comprehensive cookie integrity checks, input sanitization, and session management improvements. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious cookie modifications, while establishing monitoring procedures to identify potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability exemplifies the importance of proper authentication design and the critical need for input validation in security-critical components of web applications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation through authentication bypass methods. The flaw underscores the necessity of following secure coding practices and conducting thorough security testing to prevent such critical vulnerabilities from being exposed in production environments.