CVE-2012-2720 in tokenauth
Summary
by MITRE
The Token Authentication (tokenauth) module 6.x-1.x before 6.x-1.7 for Drupal does not properly revert user sessions, which might allow remote attackers to perform requests with extra privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/17/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-2720 affects the Token Authentication module version 6.x-1.x before 6.x-1.7 in the Drupal content management system. This issue represents a critical session management flaw that undermines the security integrity of user authentication processes within Drupal installations. The vulnerability specifically targets the tokenauth module's handling of user session termination, creating a persistent security weakness that can be exploited by remote attackers to maintain elevated privileges beyond their legitimate access rights.
The technical flaw resides in the improper session reversion mechanism within the tokenauth module, which fails to correctly invalidate or terminate user sessions when authentication tokens are processed. This malfunction allows attackers to exploit the session management logic by leveraging previously issued authentication tokens to perform unauthorized actions with extended privileges. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of authentication and session management controls, where the module's inability to properly handle session state transitions creates a persistent access vector that can be maintained across multiple requests without proper authentication revalidation.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables remote attackers to escalate their privileges within Drupal environments, potentially allowing them to access restricted administrative functions, modify content, or perform other privileged operations without proper authentication. The attack surface is particularly concerning for Drupal installations that rely heavily on token-based authentication mechanisms, as the vulnerability can be exploited without requiring local system access or advanced exploitation techniques. This creates a significant risk for organizations where the tokenauth module is deployed, as it can lead to complete system compromise if exploited successfully.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-613, which addresses Insufficient Session Expiration, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers Phishing with Social Engineering. Organizations using Drupal should immediately upgrade to version 6.x-1.7 or later of the tokenauth module to address this vulnerability. Additional mitigations include implementing proper session management controls, monitoring for unauthorized authentication token usage, and ensuring that all Drupal core and contributed modules are kept current with security patches. Network-level protections such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems can help detect anomalous authentication patterns, while application-level controls including request rate limiting and authentication token validation can provide additional defense in depth measures against exploitation attempts.