CVE-2012-0398 in Documentum eRoom
Summary
by MITRE
EMC Documentum eRoom before 7.4.4 does not properly validate session cookies, which allows remote attackers to hijack or replay sessions via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0398 affects EMC Documentum eRoom versions prior to 7.4.4 and represents a critical session management flaw that undermines the security of web-based document management systems. This weakness stems from inadequate validation of session cookies, creating opportunities for malicious actors to exploit the authentication mechanism and gain unauthorized access to user sessions. The vulnerability falls under the broader category of insufficient session validation, which is classified as CWE-613, and directly relates to the lack of proper session management controls that should prevent unauthorized access to protected resources.
The technical flaw manifests in the improper handling of session cookies within the eRoom application, where the system fails to adequately verify the authenticity and integrity of session identifiers used to maintain user authentication states. Attackers can leverage this weakness through unspecified vectors that typically involve session hijacking or replay attacks, allowing them to impersonate legitimate users and access sensitive documents and system resources. The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental flaw in the application's security architecture where session tokens are not properly validated, making them susceptible to manipulation and reuse by unauthorized parties.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can lead to complete system compromise when attackers leverage session hijacking capabilities to gain persistent access to document repositories. Organizations using affected versions of EMC Documentum eRoom face significant risks including data breaches, unauthorized document access, modification of sensitive information, and potential escalation of privileges within the system. The vulnerability particularly affects collaborative environments where document management and sharing are critical functions, making it especially dangerous for enterprises handling confidential or regulated data. This weakness can be exploited by attackers with minimal technical expertise, as the attack vectors are well-established and commonly used in session management attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper session validation mechanisms and upgrading to EMC Documentum eRoom version 7.4.4 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the session cookie validation issues. Organizations should also implement additional security controls such as secure session cookie attributes including HttpOnly and Secure flags, proper session timeout mechanisms, and regular session invalidation procedures. The remediation process should include comprehensive security testing to ensure that session management controls are properly implemented and validated. This vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1566 for credential access through session hijacking and T1078 for valid accounts usage, making it a critical target for security hardening efforts. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and secure coding practices as outlined in OWASP Top 10 security guidelines would help prevent similar session management vulnerabilities from occurring in the future.