CVE-2018-13352 in TerraMaster TOS
Summary
by MITRE
Session Exposure in the web application for TerraMaster TOS version 3.1.03 allows attackers to view active session tokens in a world-readable directory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/15/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-13352 represents a critical session exposure flaw within TerraMaster TOS version 3.1.03 web application. This security weakness stems from improper file permissions that result in active session tokens being stored in directories accessible to all users on the system. The flaw creates a significant risk for unauthorized access to user sessions and potentially full system compromise. Session tokens are critical components in web application security that authenticate users and maintain their authenticated state throughout their interaction with the application. When these tokens become publicly accessible, attackers can hijack active user sessions and gain unauthorized access to sensitive data and system functionality. The vulnerability specifically affects the session management mechanism within the TerraMaster operating system, which is designed for network-attached storage devices and provides web-based administrative interfaces.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves the web application's session storage mechanism failing to enforce proper access controls on session token files. These session files typically contain encrypted or encoded authentication information that allows the system to recognize authenticated users without requiring repeated login credentials. When stored in world-readable directories, any user with access to the system can read these files and extract the session tokens. This weakness directly violates fundamental security principles of access control and privilege separation. The vulnerability falls under the category of improper access control as defined by CWE-284, which specifically addresses inadequate access control mechanisms. The flaw demonstrates a lack of proper file system permission management where session data should be protected with restrictive permissions to prevent unauthorized access. This issue also aligns with the broader category of credential exposure vulnerabilities that can lead to session hijacking attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential data breaches, system compromise, and complete loss of administrative control. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can impersonate legitimate users and perform administrative actions within the TerraMaster system. This includes accessing sensitive configuration data, modifying system settings, adding or removing users, and potentially gaining access to stored data on the network-attached storage device. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system by allowing unauthorized entities to manipulate active sessions. The exposure of session tokens can lead to cascading security failures where attackers can move laterally within the network or escalate privileges to gain deeper system access. Additionally, the impact is amplified because TerraMaster devices are often deployed in enterprise environments where they may serve as central storage solutions for critical business data.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper file system access controls and session management practices. System administrators should ensure that session token files are stored in directories with restrictive permissions, typically limiting access to the web server process or specific system users. The recommended approach involves setting proper umask values and implementing directory permission controls to prevent world-readable access to session data. Security patches or updates from TerraMaster should be applied immediately to address the underlying implementation flaw. Network segmentation and monitoring should be implemented to detect unauthorized access attempts to session files. The mitigation process should also include regular security audits to verify that session files are properly protected and that no similar access control issues exist in other parts of the application. Organizations should implement logging mechanisms to track access to session files and establish alerting procedures for suspicious activities. This vulnerability highlights the importance of following the principle of least privilege and proper resource access controls as outlined in security frameworks and best practices for web application development.