CVE-2014-3853 in Pyplate
Summary
by MITRE
Pyplate 0.08 does not set the secure flag for the id cookie in an https session, which makes it easier for remote attackers to capture this cookie by intercepting its transmission within an http session.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/11/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-3853 affects Pyplate version 0.08, a web application framework that fails to properly configure session cookies when operating over secure HTTPS connections. This flaw represents a critical security oversight that directly violates fundamental web security principles and creates significant attack surface for malicious actors. The issue stems from the application's inability to set the secure flag on session cookies, which is a standard security mechanism designed to prevent cookie transmission over unencrypted channels.
The technical flaw manifests when Pyplate generates session identifiers for user authentication and maintains these identifiers in cookies stored in the user's browser. Under normal secure HTTPS operations, session cookies should be transmitted only over encrypted connections and should include the secure flag in their HTTP headers. However, Pyplate 0.08 fails to implement this security measure, allowing session cookies to be transmitted over both HTTP and HTTPS connections without proper encryption protection. This configuration creates a scenario where attackers can intercept session identifiers during transmission, particularly when users navigate between secure and non-secure pages within the same domain.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple cookie interception, as it enables man-in-the-middle attacks and session hijacking techniques that can be executed with minimal technical expertise. Attackers can leverage this weakness to capture session cookies transmitted over unencrypted HTTP connections and subsequently use these captured identifiers to impersonate legitimate users and gain unauthorized access to protected resources. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in environments where users might access the application through public networks or when the application contains mixed content that automatically redirects to HTTP endpoints. This weakness directly aligns with CWE-614, which categorizes insecure cookie handling as a significant security flaw in web applications.
Security practitioners should recognize this vulnerability as a clear violation of the principle of least privilege and secure cookie practices. The absence of the secure flag in session cookies represents a fundamental failure in the application's security architecture and demonstrates poor implementation of web security best practices. Organizations using Pyplate 0.08 should immediately implement mitigations including the explicit configuration of secure flags on all session cookies, enforcement of HTTPS across all application endpoints, and implementation of proper cookie security policies. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under credential access techniques, specifically targeting session management weaknesses that enable attackers to maintain persistent access to user accounts and system resources.
The remediation process requires immediate attention to the application's session management configuration, ensuring that all cookies generated by Pyplate include the secure flag and are transmitted only over encrypted channels. Additionally, organizations should implement comprehensive monitoring to detect and prevent mixed content scenarios that could inadvertently expose session cookies to unencrypted transmission. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other application components and to ensure adherence to established security standards including OWASP Top Ten recommendations for secure session management.