CVE-2009-3584 in SQL-Ledger
Summary
by MITRE
SQL-Ledger 2.8.24 does not set the secure flag for the session cookie in an https session, which makes it easier for remote attackers to capture this cookie by intercepting its transmission within an http session.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/25/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-3584 affects SQL-Ledger version 2.8.24 and represents a critical security flaw in session management implementation. This issue specifically relates to how the application handles session cookies when operating over secure HTTPS connections. The fundamental problem lies in the application's failure to properly configure the secure flag on session cookies, a critical security control that should prevent cookies from being transmitted over unencrypted HTTP connections. When the secure flag is not set, session cookies become vulnerable to interception during transmission between client and server, creating a significant attack surface for man-in-the-middle and session hijacking operations. This vulnerability directly violates industry security best practices and represents a failure in proper cookie security configuration that has been recognized under CWE-614, which specifically addresses insecure cookies that are not marked as secure.
The technical implementation flaw in SQL-Ledger 2.8.24 stems from improper cookie generation and handling within the web application's session management system. During HTTPS sessions, the application should automatically set the secure flag on all session cookies to ensure they are only transmitted over encrypted connections. However, the vulnerability indicates that this flag is either omitted entirely or not properly implemented, allowing attackers to capture session cookies when they are transmitted over HTTP connections, particularly during the transition period when users might be redirected from secure to non-secure pages or when network interception occurs. This misconfiguration creates a dangerous situation where session tokens that should remain protected can be easily intercepted and reused by malicious actors. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically impacts the HTTP cookie handling mechanism, making it a prime target for attackers using techniques such as packet sniffing, network monitoring, or session hijacking as outlined in the ATT&CK framework under T1566 for credential access through interception.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple session theft and represents a serious threat to the overall security posture of systems running SQL-Ledger 2.8.24. Attackers who successfully intercept session cookies can impersonate legitimate users and gain unauthorized access to financial records, administrative functions, and sensitive business data. This type of attack can lead to complete system compromise, data breaches, and financial losses. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects the core session management functionality of the application, making it difficult to detect and mitigate without proper security configuration. Organizations using this version of SQL-Ledger face significant risk of unauthorized access, especially in environments where network traffic is not properly secured or monitored. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical skill and can be automated using readily available network monitoring tools, making it an attractive target for both sophisticated and less experienced attackers. This weakness directly impacts the confidentiality and integrity of the application's session management, violating fundamental security principles and potentially enabling further attacks through privilege escalation or lateral movement within the network.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-3584 should focus on immediate patching of the SQL-Ledger application to version 2.8.25 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for proper cookie security implementation. Organizations should also implement comprehensive network monitoring and traffic inspection to detect potential cookie interception attempts. The secure flag must be explicitly set on all session cookies in the application's configuration, ensuring that cookies are only transmitted over HTTPS connections. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing additional security controls such as HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) headers to prevent downgrade attacks and enforce secure connections. Network segmentation and proper firewall rules should be implemented to minimize the attack surface, while regular security audits should verify that all session cookies are properly configured with security flags. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following security guidelines such as those provided by OWASP for secure session management, which specifically recommend setting secure and HttpOnly flags on all session cookies to prevent cross-site scripting and session hijacking attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication and monitoring for suspicious session activity to provide additional layers of protection against session-based attacks.