CVE-2010-5067 in Virtual War
Summary
by MITRE
Virtual War (aka VWar) 1.6.1 R2 uses static session cookies that depend only on a user s password, which makes it easier for remote attackers to bypass timeout and logout actions, and retain access for a long period of time, by leveraging knowledge of a session cookie.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/31/2018
Virtual War version 1.6.1 R2 contains a critical session management vulnerability that fundamentally undermines the application's authentication security model. The flaw resides in the session cookie generation mechanism which relies exclusively on the user's password as the sole entropy source for session identification. This design violates fundamental security principles for session management and creates a deterministic session cookie that can be easily reconstructed by attackers who obtain knowledge of a valid user's password through various means such as credential stuffing attacks, password reuse, or social engineering. The vulnerability creates a persistent access vector that allows adversaries to bypass normal session timeout mechanisms and logout procedures, effectively enabling long-term unauthorized access to user accounts.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from a flawed session key generation algorithm that fails to incorporate sufficient randomness or additional entropy factors such as timestamps, user agent strings, IP addresses, or random nonce values. This static approach to session cookie creation creates a direct correlation between a user's password and their session identifier, making the system susceptible to session replay attacks and unauthorized access persistence. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-613 as "Insufficient Session Expiration" and additionally relates to CWE-310 as "Cryptographic Issues" due to the weak cryptographic foundation of the session management system. From an attacker's perspective, this represents a significant operational advantage as they can maintain access without requiring continuous authentication, effectively extending their attack window indefinitely.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables attackers to maintain persistent presence within the application environment. Once an attacker obtains a valid session cookie through password compromise, they can leverage this access for extended periods without detection, potentially leading to data exfiltration, privilege escalation, or further network exploitation. The vulnerability also undermines the application's ability to enforce proper access controls and audit trails, as session termination mechanisms become ineffective. This creates a significant risk for organizations relying on Virtual War for their gaming or simulation environments, particularly those handling sensitive data or requiring strict access controls. The attack surface is further expanded by the fact that this vulnerability can be exploited remotely without requiring physical access to the system or network infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address the fundamental session management design flaw through comprehensive remediation of the session cookie generation mechanism. Organizations should implement robust session management protocols that incorporate multiple entropy factors including random session identifiers, timestamp validation, IP address binding, and user agent verification. The implementation should follow established security frameworks such as those recommended in the OWASP Session Management Cheat Sheet and align with NIST SP 800-63B guidelines for digital identity management. Additionally, implementing session timeout mechanisms with automatic invalidation of session tokens upon logout, along with periodic session regeneration, will significantly reduce the attack surface. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious session activity patterns and implementation of account lockout mechanisms to prevent brute force attacks on session cookies. The system should also incorporate proper session invalidation procedures that immediately terminate sessions when users log out or when suspicious activity is detected, ensuring that the session management system cannot be bypassed through static cookie manipulation.