CVE-2015-5183 in JBoss A-MQ
Summary
by MITRE
The Hawtio console in A-MQ does not set HTTPOnly or Secure attributes on cookies.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/14/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-5183 affects the Hawtio console component within A-MQ messaging platforms, representing a critical security flaw in cookie security implementation. This issue stems from the Hawtio web console failing to properly configure essential cookie attributes that are fundamental to web application security. The absence of these security measures creates exploitable conditions that can be leveraged by malicious actors to compromise user sessions and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive messaging infrastructure. The vulnerability specifically targets the authentication and session management mechanisms that rely on HTTP cookies for maintaining user state and access privileges.
The technical flaw manifests in the improper configuration of HTTP cookies used by the Hawtio console for session management and authentication purposes. When web applications set cookies without the HttpOnly attribute, they expose themselves to cross-site scripting attacks where malicious scripts can access cookie values through client-side JavaScript execution. Similarly, the absence of the Secure attribute means cookies can be transmitted over unencrypted HTTP connections, making them susceptible to interception during network transmission. These missing attributes create a pathway for attackers to hijack user sessions, particularly when the console operates in environments where HTTPS might not be consistently enforced or where users access the system through unsecured connections.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple session theft, as it fundamentally undermines the security posture of A-MQ messaging systems that rely on Hawtio for administration and monitoring. Attackers can exploit this weakness to perform session hijacking attacks, potentially gaining access to privileged administrative functions within the messaging infrastructure. This creates risks for organizations managing sensitive data flows through their messaging systems, as compromised console sessions could lead to unauthorized configuration changes, data exfiltration, or disruption of messaging services. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where A-MQ systems handle critical business communications and where unauthorized access to administrative consoles could result in significant operational and compliance impacts.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of A-MQ that address the cookie attribute configuration issues, enforcing mandatory HTTPS usage for all console access, and implementing proper cookie security policies across all web applications. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-1004 which addresses insecure cookie attributes, and represents a significant risk in the context of the ATT&CK framework under the credential access and persistence tactics. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive assessments of their web application security configurations to identify and remediate similar cookie security issues across their entire infrastructure, as this type of vulnerability often indicates broader security misconfigurations that could affect other components of the system architecture.