CVE-2014-0635 in VPLEX GeoSynchrony
Summary
by MITRE
Session fixation vulnerability in EMC VPLEX GeoSynchrony 4.x and 5.x before 5.3 allows remote attackers to hijack web sessions via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/09/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0635 represents a critical session fixation weakness within EMC VPLEX GeoSynchrony versions 4.x and 5.x prior to 5.3. This flaw resides in the web-based management interface of the storage virtualization platform, which is designed to provide high availability and geo-redundant storage solutions across multiple data centers. The session fixation vulnerability specifically affects the authentication and session management mechanisms that govern user access to the administrative web console, creating a pathway for remote attackers to exploit the system's authentication state.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the failure to properly regenerate session identifiers upon successful authentication. When users log into the VPLEX GeoSynchrony management interface, the system should generate a new, unique session token that is completely independent of any previously established session state. However, the affected versions maintain or reuse existing session identifiers, allowing an attacker who has already established a session to potentially reuse that session token to impersonate legitimate users. This weakness aligns with CWE-384, which specifically addresses session fixation vulnerabilities where session identifiers are not properly regenerated after authentication, and falls under the ATT&CK technique T1563.002 for credential access through session hijacking.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to the administrative interface. Attackers could potentially gain full control over the storage virtualization environment, including the ability to modify storage configurations, access sensitive data, and manipulate replication settings across geographically distributed storage systems. The implications are particularly severe given that VPLEX GeoSynchrony is designed for enterprise-level storage solutions where data integrity and availability are paramount. The vulnerability affects not just individual systems but entire storage clusters that rely on the geo-synchronization capabilities, potentially leading to data corruption, service disruption, and unauthorized data access across multiple geographic locations.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected systems to version 5.3 or later, which includes proper session regeneration mechanisms. Organizations should also implement additional security controls such as enforcing secure session cookie attributes including HttpOnly and Secure flags, implementing proper session timeout mechanisms, and monitoring for suspicious authentication patterns. Network segmentation and access control measures should be enhanced to limit exposure of the management interface to trusted networks only. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that the patch does not introduce compatibility issues with existing storage configurations, and that all administrators are aware of the importance of proper session management practices. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect potential session fixation attempts, and regular security assessments should be conducted to verify that authentication mechanisms remain robust against similar vulnerabilities.