CVE-2015-1848 in PCS
Summary
by MITRE
The pcs daemon (pcsd) in PCS 0.9.137 and earlier does not set the secure flag for a cookie in an https session, which makes it easier for remote attackers to capture this cookie by intercepting its transmission within an http session. NOTE: this issue was SPLIT per ADT2 due to different vulnerability types. CVE-2015-3983 is for the issue with not setting the HTTPOnly flag.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/17/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-1848 affects the pcs daemon (pcsd) component within the Pacemaker Cluster Suite version 0.9.137 and earlier releases. This issue resides within the security implementation of the daemon's handling of session cookies during secure HTTPS communications. The fundamental flaw lies in the daemon's failure to properly configure the secure flag for cookies transmitted over HTTPS sessions, creating a significant security weakness that directly impacts session management and authentication mechanisms within cluster environments. This vulnerability represents a critical oversight in the secure communication protocols that should normally be enforced by properly configured web applications and services.
The technical implementation flaw manifests when pcsd establishes HTTPS sessions with clients, as it fails to set the secure flag on session cookies that are intended to be transmitted over encrypted channels. This omission allows attackers to potentially intercept and capture these cookies during transmission, even when the underlying communication channel is supposed to be secure. The secure flag serves as a critical security mechanism that instructs web browsers to only transmit cookies over HTTPS connections, preventing their exposure to potential eavesdroppers who might capture traffic on unencrypted channels. Without this flag, the cookie becomes vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks and session hijacking attempts, particularly when the system operates in environments where network traffic might be intercepted or monitored.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple cookie transmission issues, as it directly compromises the integrity of cluster authentication mechanisms and session management within Pacemaker environments. Attackers who successfully intercept these unsecured cookies can potentially impersonate legitimate users and gain unauthorized access to cluster management functions, potentially leading to complete compromise of the cluster infrastructure. This vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where cluster management systems control critical infrastructure components, as it provides attackers with a pathway to escalate privileges and execute unauthorized operations within the cluster. The vulnerability affects the overall security posture of cluster environments by weakening the authentication mechanisms that protect access to critical system management interfaces.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with CWE-614, which addresses the weakness of insufficiently secure cookie flags, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1566 for credential access through phishing and credential dumping. Organizations utilizing Pacemaker cluster solutions should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of the pcs daemon, ensuring proper cookie configuration with secure flags, and implementing additional network monitoring to detect potential cookie interception attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper security configuration management and the need for comprehensive security testing of cluster management components. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing network segmentation and additional authentication layers to reduce the attack surface and limit the potential impact of credential compromise.
This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper security flag implementation in web applications and cluster management systems, where even seemingly minor configuration oversights can lead to significant security breaches. The issue emphasizes the need for comprehensive security testing that includes cookie handling and session management verification, particularly in enterprise cluster environments where system integrity and authentication security are paramount. Organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their cluster management infrastructure to identify similar vulnerabilities and ensure proper implementation of security best practices across all components of their distributed systems.