CVE-2009-5051 in Hastymail2
Summary
by MITRE
Hastymail2 before RC 8 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 • 01/08/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2009-5051 affects Hastymail2 versions prior to release candidate 8, specifically targeting the session cookie security implementation within HTTPS sessions. This flaw represents a critical weakness in the application's session management practices that directly impacts the confidentiality and integrity of user authentication tokens. The issue stems from the application's failure to properly configure session cookies with the secure flag, a fundamental security mechanism designed to prevent cookie transmission over unencrypted HTTP connections. When this flag is absent, session cookies become susceptible to interception during protocol transitions or man-in-the-middle attacks, creating significant exposure for user sessions.
The technical implementation flaw lies in the application's session cookie generation process where the secure flag is not explicitly set during HTTPS session establishment. According to CWE-614, this represents a weakness in cookie security configuration that directly enables session hijacking attacks. The vulnerability creates an attack surface where remote adversaries can capture session cookies through various interception techniques, including network sniffing, packet capture, or protocol downgrade attacks. This weakness is particularly dangerous because it undermines the entire HTTPS security model by allowing attackers to obtain valid session tokens that can be used to impersonate legitimate users. The flaw essentially creates a false sense of security where users believe their sessions are protected by HTTPS encryption, while the session cookie itself remains vulnerable to theft.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple session hijacking to encompass potential account takeovers, unauthorized data access, and privilege escalation within the application. Attackers can leverage this weakness to capture session cookies during HTTP to HTTPS transitions, especially when applications fail to enforce strict HTTPS requirements or when users inadvertently access the application through HTTP URLs. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, specifically focusing on credential access through network sniffing and session hijacking. The attack vector becomes particularly effective in environments where network traffic is not properly monitored or where users access applications through untrusted networks, such as public Wi-Fi or corporate networks with weak security controls.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper cookie security configurations, including the mandatory use of the secure flag for all session cookies generated during HTTPS sessions. Organizations should implement strict HTTPS enforcement mechanisms to prevent protocol downgrade attacks and ensure that all session cookies are properly configured with both secure and HttpOnly flags. The recommended remediation involves updating Hastymail2 to release candidate 8 or later versions where this security flaw has been addressed through proper cookie configuration. Additionally, network administrators should implement comprehensive monitoring solutions to detect and prevent unauthorized access attempts, while security teams should conduct regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar cookie security issues in other applications. The fix should also include implementing proper session management practices that include session timeout mechanisms, secure random session identifier generation, and regular session validation checks to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability.