CVE-2016-4309 in Symphony
Summary
by MITRE
Session fixation vulnerability in Symphony CMS 2.6.7, when session.use_only_cookies is disabled, allows remote attackers to hijack web sessions via the PHPSESSID parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/02/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-4309 represents a critical session fixation weakness in Symphony CMS version 2.6.7 that stems from improper session management configuration. This flaw specifically manifests when the PHP configuration parameter session.use_only_cookies is disabled, creating an exploitable condition that allows remote attackers to manipulate session identifiers. The vulnerability resides in the application's failure to properly regenerate session identifiers upon user authentication, thereby enabling attackers to maintain persistent access to user sessions through crafted session tokens.
From a technical perspective, the vulnerability exploits the fundamental principle of session security by allowing attackers to inject malicious session identifiers into the application's session handling mechanism. When session.use_only_cookies is disabled, PHP will accept session identifiers from both cookies and URL parameters, creating multiple attack vectors for session hijacking. The PHPSESSID parameter becomes a critical attack surface that enables adversaries to establish and maintain unauthorized access to user sessions. This flaw directly violates security best practices outlined in the OWASP Session Management Cheat Sheet and aligns with CWE-384, which specifically addresses session fixation vulnerabilities where the application fails to properly handle session identifier regeneration.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple session hijacking to encompass potential data breaches and unauthorized administrative access. Attackers can exploit this weakness to impersonate legitimate users, gain access to sensitive content, modify user permissions, and potentially escalate privileges within the CMS environment. The vulnerability affects the entire user authentication flow of Symphony CMS, making it particularly dangerous as it undermines the core security mechanisms designed to protect user sessions. Organizations running affected versions face significant risk of unauthorized access to their content management systems, potentially leading to data compromise, content tampering, and reputational damage.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of several security controls and configuration changes. The primary recommendation involves enabling session.use_only_cookies in the PHP configuration to prevent session identifiers from being accepted via URL parameters. Additionally, implementing proper session regeneration upon successful authentication, enforcing secure session cookie attributes such as HttpOnly, Secure, and SameSite flags, and ensuring regular security updates are essential defensive measures. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security layers including web application firewalls, session timeout mechanisms, and monitoring for suspicious session activity. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper session management as outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the credential access and privilege escalation techniques, emphasizing that session fixation remains a persistent threat vector requiring continuous attention and remediation.