CVE-2016-7191 in Azure Active Directory Passport
Summary
by MITRE
The Microsoft Azure Active Directory Passport (aka Passport-Azure-AD) library 1.x before 1.4.6 and 2.x before 2.0.1 for Node.js does not recognize the validateIssuer setting, which allows remote attackers to bypass authentication via a crafted token.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/21/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-7191 affects the Microsoft Azure Active Directory Passport library for Node.js, specifically versions 1.x prior to 1.4.6 and 2.x prior to 2.0.1. This authentication bypass flaw stems from the library's failure to properly validate the issuer parameter within security tokens, creating a significant security weakness that could be exploited by remote attackers to gain unauthorized access to protected resources. The issue resides in the authentication flow where the library does not adequately verify the token issuer, allowing malicious actors to craft tokens with spoofed issuer values that would otherwise be rejected by proper validation mechanisms.
This vulnerability represents a critical failure in the library's security implementation and aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues in software systems. The flaw enables attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms by manipulating the validateIssuer setting, which should normally ensure that tokens originate from trusted identity providers. The absence of proper issuer validation creates a path for attackers to submit forged tokens that appear legitimate to the vulnerable library, effectively circumventing the authentication layer that should protect sensitive applications and services.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple authentication bypass, as it could potentially allow attackers to access restricted resources, perform unauthorized operations, and compromise the integrity of applications relying on the affected Passport library. This weakness particularly affects Node.js applications that depend on Azure Active Directory for authentication, potentially exposing user sessions, sensitive data, and system resources to unauthorized access. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require local system access or physical presence to leverage this flaw, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments.
Organizations using affected versions of the Microsoft Azure Active Directory Passport library should immediately implement mitigations including updating to patched versions 1.4.6 and 2.0.1, which properly address the validateIssuer validation issue. The recommended approach involves thorough testing of the updated library in development environments before deployment to production systems, ensuring that existing authentication flows continue to function correctly while benefiting from the enhanced security validation. Security teams should also consider implementing additional monitoring and logging mechanisms to detect potential exploitation attempts and verify that the patched library is correctly validating token issuers in their specific deployment environments.
The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper token validation in identity and access management systems, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1566 for credential access through valid accounts and T1078 for valid accounts. Organizations should review their authentication implementations to ensure that all security parameters, including issuer validation, are properly enforced. This incident underscores the necessity of maintaining current security libraries and implementing robust security testing procedures to identify and remediate authentication bypass vulnerabilities before they can be exploited in real-world scenarios.