CVE-2015-1174 in Polska TETA Web
Summary
by MITRE
Session fixation vulnerability in Unit4 Polska TETA Web (formerly TETA Galactica) 22.62.3.4 and earlier allows remote attackers to hijack web sessions via a session id.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/14/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-1174 represents a critical session fixation flaw within Unit4 Polska TETA Web software version 22.62.3.4 and earlier releases. This vulnerability resides in the web application's session management mechanism and allows remote attackers to exploit the system by manipulating session identifiers. The flaw enables unauthorized parties to establish and maintain persistent sessions within the application, effectively bypassing authentication mechanisms and gaining unauthorized access to user accounts and sensitive data. The vulnerability specifically affects the session id handling process, which is a fundamental component of web application security architecture.
This session fixation vulnerability stems from improper session management practices where the application fails to regenerate session identifiers upon successful authentication or when transitioning between anonymous and authenticated states. The flaw allows attackers to obtain a valid session identifier and then force a victim to use that same identifier, thereby enabling the attacker to hijack the victim's session and impersonate them within the application. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-384 as session fixation, which is a well-documented weakness in web application security that has been consistently flagged in security assessments and penetration testing activities. The technical implementation flaw manifests when the application does not properly invalidate or regenerate session tokens during authentication processes, creating a persistent attack vector that can be exploited through various network-based attack scenarios.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can lead to complete compromise of user accounts and sensitive data exposure within the TETA Web environment. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform session hijacking attacks, potentially accessing confidential business information, financial data, or personal user details depending on the application's functionality and user roles. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access to the target network or system. This vulnerability significantly impacts the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected application, as it undermines the core security controls that protect user sessions and application access. Organizations using affected versions of TETA Web face potential regulatory compliance issues and increased risk of data breaches, particularly in environments where sensitive business or financial data is processed.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-1174 should focus on immediate remediation through software updates and patches provided by Unit4 Polska, as well as implementing proper session management best practices. Organizations should ensure that all session identifiers are regenerated upon successful authentication and that session tokens are properly invalidated when users log out or when sessions expire. The implementation of secure session management protocols, including the use of strong random session identifiers, proper session timeout mechanisms, and secure cookie attributes such as HttpOnly and Secure flags, can significantly reduce the risk of exploitation. Additionally, network-level protections such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems should be configured to monitor for suspicious session-related traffic patterns. The vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1566 for credential harvesting and T1078 for valid accounts, making it a critical target for both defensive and offensive security teams. Organizations should also implement comprehensive monitoring and logging of session-related activities to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain audit trails for security investigations. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications and systems within the organization's attack surface.