CVE-2017-17734 in CMS Made Simple
Summary
by MITRE
CMS Made Simple (CMSMS) before 2.2.5 does not properly cache login information in sessions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/15/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17734 affects CMS Made Simple versions prior to 2.2.5, specifically targeting the session management mechanism used for authentication. This flaw represents a critical weakness in the application's security architecture that directly impacts how user credentials and authentication states are handled within the system's session caching layer. The improper handling of login information in sessions creates a pathway for unauthorized access and privilege escalation attacks.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's failure to correctly implement session caching for authentication data, allowing attackers to potentially exploit session management vulnerabilities through various attack vectors. This weakness falls under the category of improper session handling as classified by CWE-613, which specifically addresses insufficient session expiration or improper session management. The vulnerability creates opportunities for session hijacking attacks where malicious actors could potentially reuse or manipulate session tokens to gain unauthorized access to user accounts or administrative functions within the CMS environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple authentication bypasses, as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges and access sensitive administrative functionalities. When login information is improperly cached in sessions, it creates persistent security risks that can be exploited by attackers who gain access to session identifiers or can manipulate session state information. This weakness directly violates security best practices for session management and can result in complete system compromise if exploited successfully. The vulnerability affects all users of affected CMSMS versions, making it particularly dangerous as it impacts the core authentication mechanisms of the content management system.
Organizations utilizing CMS Made Simple versions prior to 2.2.5 should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to the patched version 2.2.5 or later, which addresses the session caching issues. Additional protective measures include implementing proper session timeout mechanisms, enforcing secure session cookie attributes such as HttpOnly and Secure flags, and monitoring for suspicious session activity. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper session management practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten security risks and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1548.003 for abuse of session management. System administrators should also consider implementing additional security controls including multi-factor authentication and robust access logging to detect potential exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar session management weaknesses in other applications within the organization's infrastructure.