CVE-2013-4552 in drupalauth
Summary
by MITRE
lib/Auth/Source/External.php in the drupalauth module before 1.2.2 for simpleSAMLphp allows remote attackers to authenticate as an arbitrary user via the user name (uid) in a cookie.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/09/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-4552 affects the drupalauth module in simpleSAMLphp versions prior to 1.2.2, specifically within the lib/Auth/Source/External.php file. This represents a critical authentication bypass flaw that allows remote attackers to impersonate any user account within the system by manipulating authentication cookies. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and authentication control mechanisms within the module's external authentication handling logic.
The technical flaw manifests when the module processes user authentication requests through cookies containing user identifiers. Attackers can craft malicious cookies with arbitrary user names or identifiers, bypassing normal authentication procedures and gaining unauthorized access to user accounts. This vulnerability operates at the authentication layer, specifically targeting the external authentication source mechanism that integrates with external systems such as Drupal. The flaw enables attackers to manipulate the uid parameter within authentication cookies, effectively allowing them to authenticate as any user in the system without proper credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it completely undermines the authentication security model of systems using affected simpleSAMLphp versions. An attacker can gain access to any user account within the system, potentially leading to data breaches, privilege escalation, and unauthorized system modifications. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on simpleSAMLphp for single sign-on (SSO) and authentication services, particularly those integrating with Drupal-based systems. This flaw can be exploited remotely without requiring prior authentication, making it highly dangerous in environments where authentication security is paramount.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability include immediate upgrading to simpleSAMLphp version 1.2.2 or later, which contains the necessary patches to validate authentication cookies properly. Organizations should also implement additional security controls such as monitoring for unusual authentication patterns, implementing proper cookie security attributes including httponly and secure flags, and conducting regular security assessments of authentication modules. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts for unauthorized access. System administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious cookie manipulation attempts, while ensuring proper input validation and authentication controls are enforced throughout the authentication pipeline to prevent similar issues in other modules.