CVE-2015-1820 in REST Client for Ruby
Summary
by MITRE
REST client for Ruby (aka rest-client) before 1.8.0 allows remote attackers to conduct session fixation attacks or obtain sensitive cookie information by leveraging passage of cookies set in a response to a redirect.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/15/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-1820 affects the rest-client library for ruby, a widely used http client implementation that processes web requests and responses. This security flaw exists in versions prior to 1.8.0 and represents a significant risk to applications that rely on proper session management and cookie handling during http redirects. The vulnerability specifically targets the library's behavior when processing http redirects that contain cookie information, creating opportunities for attackers to exploit the cookie transmission mechanism.
The technical implementation flaw stems from the rest-client library's improper handling of cookies during http redirect operations. When an http request results in a redirect response, the library traditionally passes cookies from the original request to the redirected request without proper validation or sanitization. This behavior allows attackers to manipulate cookie values during the redirect process, enabling session fixation attacks where malicious actors can establish a session with a known session identifier. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the http client level, affecting all applications that use the affected library regardless of their specific implementation details.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple cookie leakage to encompass full session compromise capabilities. Attackers can exploit this weakness to hijack user sessions, gain unauthorized access to protected resources, and potentially escalate privileges within applications. The vulnerability enables both session fixation attacks where attackers can force users to adopt a known session identifier, and cookie information disclosure where sensitive authentication tokens and session data can be extracted during redirect operations. This represents a critical security gap that can lead to unauthorized system access, data breaches, and privilege escalation scenarios.
Organizations using affected versions of the rest-client library should immediately upgrade to version 1.8.0 or later to remediate this vulnerability. The fix implemented in version 1.8.0 addresses the cookie handling behavior during redirect operations by ensuring proper cookie validation and preventing unauthorized cookie transmission during redirect scenarios. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all applications utilizing the affected library and ensure proper patching across their infrastructure. Additionally, organizations should review their cookie handling practices and implement proper session management controls to minimize the impact of similar vulnerabilities. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-384, which addresses session fixation issues, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566 related to credential access through session management flaws, emphasizing the critical nature of proper cookie handling in web security implementations.