CVE-2010-3852 in Luci
Summary
by MITRE
The default configuration of Luci 0.22.4 and earlier in Red Hat Conga uses "[INSERT SECRET HERE]" as its secret key for cookies, which makes it easier for remote attackers to bypass repoze.who authentication via a forged ticket cookie.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/28/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2010-3852 represents a critical security flaw in the default configuration of Luci 0.22.4 and earlier versions within Red Hat Conga. This issue stems from the use of a predictable and hardcoded secret key value of "[INSERT SECRET HERE]" for cookie encryption and authentication purposes. The flaw fundamentally compromises the security model of the authentication system by providing attackers with a known value that can be exploited to forge authentication tokens. This vulnerability directly impacts the integrity of the repoze.who authentication framework, which is designed to manage user authentication and session management within the web application. The predictable nature of the secret key creates a significant attack surface that allows malicious actors to craft valid authentication cookies without proper authorization, effectively bypassing the intended security controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs at the application level where the cookie secret is hardcoded in the configuration files rather than being dynamically generated or securely stored. This design flaw falls under the category of weak cryptography and predictable random number generation as outlined in CWE-330, where insufficient entropy or predictable values are used in cryptographic operations. The impact extends beyond simple authentication bypass to potentially enable full system compromise, as successful exploitation allows attackers to impersonate legitimate users and gain unauthorized access to protected resources. The vulnerability specifically targets the cookie-based session management mechanism, which is a fundamental component of web application security architectures. When an attacker can predict or determine the secret key used for cookie signing, they can generate forged authentication tokens that will be accepted by the system, thereby circumventing the authentication layer entirely.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching within the Red Hat Conga environment where it is deployed. Organizations using affected versions of Luci face significant risk of unauthorized access to their management interfaces and potentially sensitive system configurations. The vulnerability enables remote attackers to perform privilege escalation attacks without requiring legitimate credentials, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrative access is critical. This weakness creates opportunities for persistent threats to establish footholds within the system and maintain long-term access. The vulnerability also impacts the overall security posture by undermining the trust model of the authentication system, potentially allowing attackers to move laterally within the network or access additional systems that rely on the same authentication infrastructure. The ease of exploitation, combined with the lack of proper secret key management, creates a dangerous situation where even basic security measures become ineffective.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both the immediate configuration issues and establish proper security practices for future deployments. The primary recommendation involves updating to a patched version of Luci that properly generates and manages secret keys for cookie encryption. Organizations should implement dynamic secret key generation during system initialization rather than using hardcoded values, following security best practices outlined in NIST SP 800-132 for cryptographic key management. Additionally, administrators should conduct comprehensive security audits of all configuration files to ensure no other hardcoded secrets exist within the application stack. The implementation of proper key rotation mechanisms and secure storage practices for cryptographic materials should be enforced across all web applications. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as multi-factor authentication and enhanced monitoring for suspicious authentication activities. This vulnerability highlights the importance of following the principle of least privilege and secure configuration management, where default settings should never compromise security, aligning with the ATT&CK framework's concept of privilege escalation through credential compromise.