CVE-2010-3319 in Filenet Content Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Records Manager (RM) 4.5.x before 4.5.1.1-IER-FP001 places a session token in the URI, which might allow remote attackers to obtain sensitive information by reading a Referer log file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/06/2018
IBM Records Manager version 4.5.x before 4.5.1.1-IER-FP001 contains a critical security flaw that exposes session tokens within Uniform Resource Identifiers, creating a significant information disclosure vulnerability. This issue stems from the application's improper handling of session management where authentication tokens are embedded directly into the URI structure rather than being stored securely in HTTP headers or cookies. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-200, which specifically addresses information exposure, and represents a direct violation of secure session management practices outlined in OWASP Top Ten. When users navigate through the Records Manager interface, session identifiers become visible in the URL parameters, making them susceptible to interception through various attack vectors including web server log files, browser history, and network traffic analysis.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates multiple attack surfaces for malicious actors. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness by simply monitoring network traffic or accessing server log files that contain the Referer header information, which typically includes the full URI of the previous page visited. This allows unauthorized parties to extract active session tokens and potentially hijack user sessions, leading to unauthorized access to sensitive records management systems. The flaw particularly affects environments where Records Manager is deployed in shared or untrusted network environments where log files might be accessible to unauthorized users. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001, which involves credential access through phishing and social engineering, as attackers can leverage the exposed session tokens to impersonate legitimate users within the system.
The security implications of this vulnerability are compounded by the fact that session tokens embedded in URIs remain persistent across multiple requests and can be inadvertently shared through various means including email, instant messaging, or web browser history. Attackers can also exploit this weakness by crafting malicious links that contain the target session tokens, potentially enabling them to perform unauthorized actions within the Records Manager environment. The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental flaw in the application's security architecture, particularly regarding how it handles authentication state management and the lack of proper token validation mechanisms. Organizations using IBM Records Manager in environments where log file access controls are insufficient or improperly configured face heightened risk of unauthorized access to sensitive records and documents stored within the system. The remediation approach requires immediate deployment of the official IBM fix version 4.5.1.1-IER-FP001, which properly implements secure session token handling by removing tokens from URIs and utilizing more secure storage mechanisms such as HTTP-only cookies. Additionally, network administrators should implement proper access controls on log file directories and consider implementing web application firewalls to monitor and filter URI content for session tokens. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of following secure coding practices and proper session management protocols as outlined in the OWASP Secure Coding Practices and NIST Special Publication 800-63 for authentication and session management.