CVE-2013-4562 in omniauth-facebook
Summary
by MITRE
The omniauth-facebook gem 1.4.1 before 1.5.0 does not properly store the session parameter, which allows remote attackers to conduct cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks via the state parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/21/2022
The omniauth-facebook gem version 1.4.1 and earlier contained a critical security flaw that compromised session management during OAuth authentication flows. This vulnerability specifically affected the handling of the state parameter, which is a fundamental security mechanism designed to prevent cross-site request forgery attacks. The flaw originated from inadequate session storage practices where the gem failed to properly maintain the state parameter value in the session context, creating a predictable and exploitable condition that attackers could leverage for malicious purposes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stemmed from the gem's improper handling of the OAuth state parameter within the Facebook authentication flow. During the OAuth authorization process, the state parameter serves as a cryptographically random value that is generated by the client application and sent to the authorization server. This value is then returned by the authorization server and validated by the client to ensure that the authentication request originated from the same application that initiated it. When the omniauth-facebook gem failed to properly store this parameter in the session, attackers could manipulate the state value to bypass the CSRF protection mechanisms and impersonate legitimate users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extended beyond simple authentication bypasses, creating a significant risk for applications that relied on Facebook OAuth integration for user authentication. Attackers could exploit this flaw to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, potentially gaining access to sensitive user data or performing fraudulent transactions. The vulnerability was particularly concerning because it affected a widely used gem that many applications integrated into their authentication systems, amplifying the potential attack surface across numerous web applications and services that utilized Facebook login functionality. This weakness could be leveraged in combination with other attack vectors to create more sophisticated exploitation scenarios.
Organizations and developers using the affected gem versions should have immediately upgraded to version 1.5.0 or later to remediate the vulnerability. The fix implemented by the maintainers addressed the session storage mechanism to ensure that the state parameter was properly maintained throughout the authentication flow. Security practitioners should have conducted thorough vulnerability assessments of their application dependencies, particularly focusing on authentication-related gems and libraries that handle OAuth flows. This incident highlighted the critical importance of proper session management and parameter validation in authentication systems, aligning with CWE 384 which addresses session management flaws and ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers credential access through social engineering and authentication bypass methods. The vulnerability also emphasized the need for regular security audits of third-party dependencies and the implementation of automated dependency checking tools to prevent similar issues from affecting production systems.