CVE-2009-3657 in Shared Sign-On
Summary
by MITRE
Session fixation vulnerability in Shared Sign-On 5.x and 6.x, a module for Drupal, allows remote attackers to hijack web sessions via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/26/2017
The CVE-2009-3657 vulnerability represents a critical session fixation flaw within the Shared Sign-On module for Drupal versions 5.x and 6.x, creating significant security risks for web applications relying on this authentication framework. This vulnerability specifically targets the session management mechanisms that are fundamental to web application security, where proper session handling is essential for maintaining user authentication state and preventing unauthorized access to protected resources. The Shared Sign-On module, designed to facilitate single sign-on functionality across multiple Drupal sites, introduces a dangerous weakness that can be exploited by remote attackers to gain unauthorized access to user sessions.
The technical flaw manifests in the module's improper handling of session identifiers during the authentication process, allowing attackers to manipulate session tokens and maintain persistent access to user accounts. This vulnerability falls under the broader category of session management weaknesses, specifically aligning with CWE-384 which addresses session fixation vulnerabilities. The flaw occurs when the module fails to properly regenerate session identifiers upon successful authentication, leaving session tokens vulnerable to exploitation. Attackers can leverage this weakness through unspecified vectors that typically involve session token manipulation, potentially including cookie manipulation, session token prediction, or other session hijacking techniques that are commonly documented in the OWASP Top Ten and MITRE ATT&CK framework under the credential access and persistence tactics.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple session hijacking, as it can enable attackers to perform unauthorized actions within the compromised user accounts, potentially leading to data theft, privilege escalation, and full system compromise. The affected Drupal versions 5.x and 6.x represent older releases that were widely deployed in enterprise and organizational environments, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it affects numerous legacy systems that may not have received timely security updates. The remote nature of the attack vector means that exploitation does not require physical access to the target system, making it accessible to attackers anywhere on the internet and significantly increasing the attack surface. This vulnerability directly undermines the principle of least privilege and can result in unauthorized access to sensitive data, modification of content, and potential lateral movement within network environments where these Drupal installations exist.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-3657 should prioritize immediate remediation through module updates or complete removal of the vulnerable Shared Sign-On module from affected Drupal installations. Organizations should implement proper session regeneration practices upon authentication, ensure that session tokens are properly invalidated upon logout, and deploy additional security controls such as secure cookie flags, HTTP-only flags, and proper session timeout mechanisms. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date software components and the risks associated with using legacy modules in production environments. Security teams should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect suspicious session-related activities and establish proper access controls to minimize the potential impact of session fixation attacks. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of secure session management practices and the need for comprehensive security testing of authentication modules within web applications.