CVE-2012-3257 in Business Availability Center
Summary
by MITRE
HP Business Availability Center (BAC) 8.07 allows remote authenticated users to hijack web sessions via unspecified vectors.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/06/2018
The HP Business Availability Center version 8.07 contains a critical session management vulnerability that enables remote authenticated attackers to hijack active web sessions within the system. This vulnerability resides in the web application's session handling mechanisms and affects users who have already authenticated to the BAC interface. The unspecified vectors suggest that the flaw could be exploited through multiple attack paths including but not limited to session token prediction, session fixation, or improper session invalidation processes. The vulnerability represents a significant security weakness in the authentication and session management framework of the HP BAC platform.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate session security controls within the web application layer of HP Business Availability Center. Attackers who have gained valid authentication credentials can leverage this flaw to extend their access beyond normal session boundaries. The session hijacking capability allows malicious actors to impersonate legitimate users and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive business availability data, monitoring dashboards, and configuration settings. This type of vulnerability typically falls under the category of weak session management as defined by CWE-613, which addresses insufficient session management that can lead to session hijacking attacks. The attack vector requires only authenticated access, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by insiders or compromised legitimate users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can enable attackers to manipulate business availability monitoring data, alter system configurations, and potentially disrupt critical business operations. Organizations using HP BAC 8.07 may experience unauthorized data exposure, compromised monitoring integrity, and potential business continuity issues if attackers successfully hijack sessions. The vulnerability also increases the risk of privilege escalation attacks, as session hijacking often provides a foundation for further exploitation. From an enterprise security perspective, this vulnerability undermines the trust model of the BAC platform and can lead to significant business disruption. The attack can be particularly devastating in environments where the BAC system monitors critical infrastructure availability and business processes.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates for HP Business Availability Center 8.07. The recommended approach involves strengthening session management practices through proper session token generation, implementing secure session invalidation mechanisms, and ensuring that session identifiers are properly rotated. Security controls should include monitoring for unusual session behavior, implementing session timeout mechanisms, and enforcing secure communication protocols. Organizations should also consider implementing additional authentication layers and access controls to limit the impact of potential session hijacking attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1548.003 for bypassing session management controls and should be addressed through comprehensive security hardening practices. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to verify that session management controls are properly implemented and functioning as intended.