CVE-2014-3909 in WisePoint
Summary
by MITRE
Session fixation vulnerability in Falcon WisePoint 4.1.19.7 and earlier allows remote attackers to hijack web sessions via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/12/2019
The session fixation vulnerability identified in Falcon WisePoint version 4.1.19.7 and earlier represents a critical security weakness that enables remote attackers to hijack web sessions through unspecified attack vectors. This vulnerability falls under the category of session management flaws that can severely compromise the integrity of web applications. The issue stems from the application's failure to properly invalidate or regenerate session identifiers upon user authentication, creating opportunities for attackers to exploit established session tokens.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-384, which specifically addresses session fixation issues in web applications where session identifiers are not adequately changed after authentication. The flaw permits attackers to establish a known session identifier before a user authenticates, then use that same identifier after the user logs in to gain unauthorized access to the user's session. The unspecified vectors suggest that the attack could potentially occur through various means such as cross-site scripting attacks, man-in-the-middle scenarios, or through other session-related vulnerabilities within the application's architecture.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can lead to complete account compromise and potential data breaches. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can not only access user sessions but may also perform privileged actions within the application as the authenticated user. This risk is particularly severe in enterprise environments where Falcon WisePoint may be used for critical business operations, as the compromise of a single session could provide access to sensitive corporate data or operational controls.
From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to multiple ATT&CK techniques including T1566 for initial access through credential harvesting and T1078 for valid accounts usage. The lack of proper session management creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited across different attack phases. Organizations should consider implementing comprehensive session management policies that include automatic session invalidation upon login, secure session identifier generation, and proper session timeout mechanisms. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of following secure coding practices and conducting regular security assessments to identify and remediate session management flaws that could be exploited by sophisticated attackers.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing robust session management protocols including immediate session identifier regeneration upon successful authentication, proper session cookie attributes such as HttpOnly and Secure flags, and regular session validation checks. Additionally, organizations should deploy web application firewalls to monitor for suspicious session-related activities and implement comprehensive logging to detect potential exploitation attempts. Regular security updates and patches should be prioritized to address this vulnerability, as the timeframe for exploitation increases with prolonged exposure. The incident underscores the necessity of maintaining up-to-date security practices and continuous monitoring of application security postures to prevent session hijacking attacks that can have far-reaching consequences for both individual users and enterprise security infrastructure.