CVE-2017-1152 in Financial Transaction Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Financial Transaction Manager 3.0.1 and 3.0.2 does not properly update the SESSIONID with each request, which could allow a user to obtain the ID in further attacks against the system. IBM X-Force ID: 122293.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/31/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1152 affects IBM Financial Transaction Manager versions 3.0.1 and 3.0.2, representing a significant session management flaw that undermines the security of financial transaction processing systems. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly update the SESSIONID parameter with each request, creating a persistent session identifier that remains unchanged throughout multiple interactions. The vulnerability falls under the category of weak session management as classified by CWE-613, which specifically addresses insufficient session expiration and improper session handling mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker intercepts a valid session identifier through network monitoring or other means, then leverages this static SESSIONID across multiple requests to maintain unauthorized access to the financial transaction system. This flaw enables session hijacking attacks where malicious actors can impersonate legitimate users and perform unauthorized transactions or access sensitive financial data. The vulnerability creates a persistent access vector that remains valid even after the initial session should have expired, fundamentally compromising the authentication and authorization mechanisms of the system.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses severe risks to financial institutions using IBM Financial Transaction Manager, as it allows attackers to potentially conduct fraudulent transactions, access confidential financial information, and compromise the integrity of transaction processing workflows. The attack surface extends beyond simple unauthorized access to include potential data breaches, financial losses, and regulatory compliance violations that could result in substantial financial penalties and reputational damage. The vulnerability's persistence makes it particularly dangerous as it can remain undetected for extended periods, allowing attackers to conduct prolonged surveillance and attack activities.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-1152 should focus on implementing proper session management protocols, including automatic session identifier regeneration after each authenticated request, enforcing strict session timeout mechanisms, and implementing robust session validation checks. Organizations should upgrade to patched versions of IBM Financial Transaction Manager, configure proper session handling parameters, and deploy network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous session behavior. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers credential harvesting through social engineering and session hijacking, making it critical for security teams to address promptly. The remediation process should include comprehensive security testing of session management components and implementation of automated session monitoring to prevent exploitation of this persistent vulnerability.