CVE-2013-2997 in Security AppScan Enterprise
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Security AppScan Enterprise before 8.7 does not invalidate the session context upon a logout action, which allows remote attackers to hijack sessions by leveraging an unattended workstation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/12/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2013-2997 affects IBM Security AppScan Enterprise versions prior to 8.7, representing a critical session management flaw that undermines the security of web applications protected by this tool. This weakness resides in the application's session handling mechanism, specifically during the logout process where the system fails to properly terminate or invalidate active session contexts. The flaw creates a persistent security risk that can be exploited by remote attackers who gain access to unattended workstations, allowing them to maintain unauthorized access to systems that should have been secured through proper logout procedures.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper session invalidation practices within the application's authentication framework. When users log out of IBM Security AppScan Enterprise, the system should immediately invalidate the session token and remove all associated session data from memory and storage. However, in affected versions, the logout function does not properly execute these cleanup operations, leaving session identifiers active and potentially reusable. This behavior creates a window of opportunity for attackers to intercept and reuse session tokens, particularly when target users leave their workstations unattended without manually locking screens or terminating sessions through other means. The vulnerability directly relates to CWE-613, which addresses insufficient session expiration, and represents a failure in proper session management as defined by security best practices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, creating potential for significant data breaches and system compromise. Attackers can leverage this flaw to maintain persistent access to enterprise environments, potentially gaining access to sensitive application data, configuration information, and system resources that should only be available to authorized personnel. The risk is particularly pronounced in enterprise settings where multiple users share workstations or where employees may leave their systems unattended during work hours. This vulnerability essentially undermines the fundamental security principle of least privilege and can enable attackers to escalate their access privileges through session hijacking techniques that fall under the ATT&CK framework's T1563.002 technique for "Create or Modify System Process" and T1078.004 for "Valid Accounts" through session reuse.
Organizations utilizing IBM Security AppScan Enterprise should prioritize immediate remediation through upgrading to version 8.7 or later, which includes proper session invalidation mechanisms. Additional mitigations include implementing session timeout policies, configuring automatic screen locking on workstations, and establishing robust monitoring for unusual session activity patterns. Security teams should also consider deploying session management solutions that enforce proper session lifecycle controls and regularly audit session handling procedures. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper session management in web applications and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing that includes authentication and session handling components. Organizations should also implement network-level controls such as intrusion detection systems and session monitoring tools to detect and prevent unauthorized session reuse attempts, while ensuring that all security tools receive regular updates to address known vulnerabilities in their codebase.