CVE-2017-1270 in Security Guardium
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Security Guardium 10.0 does not renew a session variable after a successful authentication which could lead to session fixation/hijacking vulnerability. This could force a user to utilize a cookie that may be known to an attacker. IBM X-Force ID: 124745.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/27/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1270 affects IBM Security Guardium version 10.0, representing a critical session management flaw that undermines the system's authentication security mechanisms. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly invalidate or regenerate session identifiers upon successful user authentication, creating a persistent security weakness that directly impacts the integrity of the authentication process. The vulnerability falls under the category of session management weaknesses and aligns with CWE-613, which addresses insufficient session expiration and the improper handling of session identifiers.
The technical flaw manifests when a user authenticates to the IBM Security Guardium system, as the application fails to generate a new session variable or properly terminate the previous session state. This creates a scenario where an attacker who has obtained a valid session cookie can maintain access to the system even after legitimate users have authenticated or logged out. The vulnerability enables session fixation attacks where an attacker can establish a session with a known session identifier and then trick a victim into using that same identifier, effectively allowing the attacker to hijack the victim's session. This weakness operates at the application layer and specifically targets the session management component of the web application architecture.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can enable attackers to perform privileged actions within the Guardium environment with elevated permissions. Since IBM Security Guardium is designed for database security monitoring and protection, an attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially access sensitive data, modify security policies, or manipulate database security configurations. The attack vector requires minimal sophistication, as it only requires the attacker to obtain a valid session cookie and then present it to a victim user, making it particularly dangerous in environments where session cookies are persistently stored or transmitted. This vulnerability directly relates to the ATT&CK technique T1548.003, which covers abuse of session management.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-1270 should focus on implementing proper session management practices including immediate session regeneration upon successful authentication, proper session invalidation upon logout, and implementation of secure session cookie attributes such as HttpOnly, Secure, and SameSite flags. Organizations should also consider implementing additional authentication controls such as multi-factor authentication and regular session timeout mechanisms. IBM has released patches and updates to address this vulnerability, and system administrators should immediately apply the vendor-provided security fixes. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual session behavior patterns, and regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar session management flaws in other applications within the organization's infrastructure. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper session lifecycle management in web applications and serves as a reminder of the necessity for comprehensive security testing and validation of authentication mechanisms.