CVE-2016-9981 in AppScan Enterprise Edition
Summary
by MITRE
IBM AppScan Enterprise Edition 9.0 contains an unspecified vulnerability that could allow an attacker to hijack a valid user's session. IBM X-Force ID: 120257
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/07/2021
IBM AppScan Enterprise Edition version 9.0 contains a session hijacking vulnerability that represents a critical security flaw in the application security testing platform. This vulnerability falls under the category of insufficient session management as defined by CWE-613, where the system fails to properly validate or secure user sessions. The unspecified nature of the flaw suggests that the vulnerability could stem from inadequate session token generation, improper session expiration handling, or weak session validation mechanisms within the application's authentication framework. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could potentially gain unauthorized access to legitimate user sessions, allowing them to impersonate valid users and access sensitive application data or perform unauthorized operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it compromises the fundamental security model of the AppScan platform itself. When an attacker successfully hijacks a valid user session, they can leverage the privileges and permissions associated with that session to conduct further attacks against the applications being scanned or access the platform's administrative functions. This represents a severe escalation risk since AppScan Enterprise Edition typically operates with elevated privileges and access to critical application security testing capabilities. The vulnerability could enable attackers to bypass security controls, access sensitive scan results, modify test configurations, or even manipulate the security testing process itself. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation and credential access tactics, specifically targeting the T1550.001 technique for using valid credentials.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability likely involves intercepting session tokens through man-in-the-middle attacks, session fixation vulnerabilities, or by exploiting weaknesses in the session management implementation. Given that this affects a security tool, the attack surface is particularly concerning as it could allow adversaries to compromise the security testing environment itself. The vulnerability could be present in how the application generates session identifiers, how it validates session tokens, or how it handles session lifecycle management. Organizations using this version of AppScan Enterprise Edition face significant risk since the tool itself becomes a potential attack vector rather than a protective mechanism. The IBM X-Force ID 120257 indicates this was recognized as a serious security concern within the IBM security ecosystem, highlighting the potential for widespread impact across organizations relying on this security testing platform.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of the affected version to address the underlying session management flaws. Organizations should also implement additional monitoring for suspicious session activities, enforce secure session handling practices, and consider network segmentation to limit the potential impact of session hijacking attempts. Regular security assessments of the AppScan platform itself should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security tools and the necessity of validating the security of security tools themselves. Organizations should also implement proper session management practices including secure token generation, appropriate session timeouts, and robust session validation mechanisms to prevent similar issues from occurring in other applications or systems within their environment.