CVE-2018-0696 in OpenAM
Summary
by MITRE
OpenAM (Open Source Edition) 13.0 and later does not properly manage sessions, which allows remote authenticated attackers to change the security questions and reset the login password via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/10/2020
OpenAM version 13.0 and later contains a critical session management vulnerability that enables remote authenticated attackers to exploit the system's authentication mechanisms through unspecified vectors. This flaw resides in the platform's improper handling of user sessions, creating a pathway for unauthorized privilege escalation and account takeover. The vulnerability specifically targets the security question modification and password reset functionality, allowing attackers to bypass normal authentication controls and gain unauthorized access to user accounts. The issue stems from inadequate session validation and token management within the authentication framework, which fails to properly verify the legitimacy of requests attempting to modify sensitive account security parameters. This weakness directly impacts the integrity of the authentication system by allowing attackers to manipulate session state information and execute unauthorized operations against user accounts. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-613, which addresses insufficient session management, and corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1078.004 related to valid accounts and credential access. Attackers can leverage this flaw to reset passwords without proper authorization, effectively taking control of user accounts and potentially gaining access to sensitive organizational resources. The impact extends beyond individual account compromise to potentially enable broader lateral movement within the network, as compromised accounts often possess legitimate access rights to various systems and services. The vulnerability represents a significant weakness in the platform's security architecture, particularly concerning its session lifecycle management and access control mechanisms. Organizations utilizing OpenAM 13.0 or later versions face elevated risk of credential theft and unauthorized account access, as the flaw allows attackers to exploit legitimate authentication flows to perform unauthorized modifications. The unspecified vectors suggest that the vulnerability may be exploitable through multiple attack paths, potentially including session hijacking, token manipulation, or other session-related attack techniques. Security professionals should consider this vulnerability as part of a broader session management weakness that requires comprehensive remediation. The flaw demonstrates the critical importance of proper session validation and access control implementation in authentication systems, as inadequate session management can lead to severe security consequences. Organizations should prioritize patching this vulnerability and implementing additional monitoring controls to detect unauthorized access attempts to security question and password reset functions. The vulnerability's exploitation potential makes it a high-priority target for threat actors seeking to compromise user accounts and gain persistent access to organizational resources. Remediation efforts should focus on strengthening session management protocols, implementing proper token validation, and ensuring that all authentication operations require appropriate authorization checks. The issue highlights the necessity of robust session lifecycle management and proper access control validation within authentication systems to prevent unauthorized modifications to sensitive user account parameters.