CVE-2016-6394 in FireSIGHT
Summary
by MITRE
Session fixation vulnerability in Cisco Firepower Management Center and Cisco FireSIGHT System Software through 6.1.0 allows remote attackers to hijack web sessions via a session identifier, aka Bug ID CSCuz80503.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/15/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6394 represents a critical session fixation flaw affecting Cisco Firepower Management Center and Cisco FireSIGHT System Software versions up to 6.1.0. This weakness resides in the web-based administrative interface of these security appliances, creating a pathway for remote attackers to exploit the authentication mechanism and establish persistent unauthorized access to the system. The vulnerability specifically impacts the session management functionality, allowing malicious actors to manipulate session identifiers and maintain control over user sessions beyond the intended authentication period.
The technical implementation of this session fixation vulnerability stems from the improper handling of session tokens within the web application layer of Cisco's security products. When users authenticate to the Firepower Management Center or FireSIGHT System Software, the system generates session identifiers that should be unique and randomly generated for each authentication event. However, the flaw allows attackers to obtain a valid session token and then force a victim's session to use that same token, effectively hijacking the victim's authenticated session without requiring knowledge of valid credentials. This issue falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-384, which specifically addresses session fixation vulnerabilities where applications fail to properly invalidate or regenerate session identifiers upon successful authentication.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can enable attackers to perform administrative functions within the compromised system. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain full control over the Firepower Management Center or FireSIGHT System Software, potentially leading to complete network compromise. The threat landscape for this vulnerability is particularly concerning given that these products are designed for enterprise security infrastructure, meaning successful exploitation could allow attackers to modify firewall policies, view sensitive network data, or even redirect traffic through compromised systems. This aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK framework's concept of privilege escalation and persistence, where attackers can maintain long-term access to critical network infrastructure.
Organizations using affected Cisco products should immediately implement mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability. The primary recommended action involves applying the latest security patches released by Cisco, which include fixes that properly regenerate session identifiers upon successful authentication. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual session activity patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper session management in security applications, particularly those handling privileged administrative functions. Organizations should also consider implementing additional authentication controls such as multi-factor authentication and regular session timeout configurations to reduce the attack surface. The flaw serves as a reminder of the fundamental security principle that session identifiers must be treated as sensitive information requiring proper generation, validation, and lifecycle management to prevent unauthorized access and maintain system integrity.