CVE-2016-5409 in OpenShift Enterprise
Summary
by MITRE
Red Hat OpenShift Enterprise 2 does not include the HTTPOnly flag in a Set-Cookie header for the GEARID cookie, which makes it easier for remote attackers to obtain potentially sensitive information via script access to the cookies.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/21/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-5409 affects Red Hat OpenShift Enterprise 2, a platform designed for containerized application deployment and management. This issue stems from improper cookie security configuration within the platform's authentication mechanism, specifically concerning the GEARID cookie that is used to maintain user sessions. The absence of the HTTPOnly flag in the Set-Cookie header represents a significant security oversight that undermines the platform's ability to protect sensitive session information from client-side script access.
The technical flaw manifests in the way the platform generates and manages session cookies for user authentication. When a user authenticates to the OpenShift Enterprise 2 platform, a GEARID cookie is created to track the user's session state. However, the platform fails to include the HTTPOnly flag in the Set-Cookie header response, which is a critical security measure that prevents client-side scripts from accessing cookie data. This omission creates a cross-site scripting vulnerability where malicious scripts running in the browser can potentially extract session identifiers from the cookie store and exfiltrate them to attackers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates a pathway for attackers to hijack user sessions and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive resources within the OpenShift platform. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-1004 which specifically addresses the lack of proper cookie security attributes, and it maps to ATT&CK technique T1531 which covers the use of unsecured cookies for persistence and credential access. Attackers can leverage this weakness to perform session hijacking attacks, where they can steal active user sessions and impersonate legitimate users within the platform.
The security implications are particularly severe given that OpenShift Enterprise 2 serves as a container orchestration platform where users may have administrative privileges and access to sensitive application deployments. A successful exploitation of this vulnerability could allow attackers to gain access to user sessions, potentially leading to unauthorized code deployment, data manipulation, or complete platform compromise. The vulnerability essentially undermines the platform's authentication security model by making session tokens accessible through client-side script execution.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include implementing proper cookie security configurations by adding the HTTPOnly flag to all session cookies generated by the platform. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security measures such as secure flag enforcement, proper cookie domain and path specifications, and regular security audits of authentication mechanisms. The platform administrators should ensure that all cookie attributes are properly configured according to security best practices, including the implementation of SameSite attributes where applicable. Additionally, regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in the platform's authentication and session management components.