CVE-2018-25100 in Mojolicious Module
Summary
by MITRE • 03/24/2024
The Mojolicious module before 7.66 for Perl may leak cookies in certain situations related to multiple similar cookies for the same domain. This affects Mojo::UserAgent::CookieJar.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/13/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-25100 represents a significant security flaw within the Mojolicious web framework's Perl implementation, specifically impacting the Mojo::UserAgent::CookieJar component. This issue arises from improper handling of cookie storage and retrieval mechanisms when multiple cookies share similar characteristics within the same domain context. The vulnerability exists in versions prior to 7.66 of the Mojolicious module, creating a persistent risk for applications that rely on this framework for web client functionality and cookie management. The flaw manifests when the cookie jar component fails to properly isolate or distinguish between multiple cookies that might have similar names or attributes, leading to potential leakage of sensitive authentication tokens or session identifiers.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate cookie management logic within the cookie jar implementation. When multiple cookies are present for the same domain, the system does not properly enforce cookie isolation rules that should prevent one cookie from inadvertently exposing or contaminating another. This behavior creates a potential information disclosure scenario where cookies intended for specific paths or with specific attributes may be improperly shared or leaked between different contexts. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the user agent's cookie handling mechanism, which is fundamental to maintaining session state and authentication persistence in web applications. This flaw aligns with CWE-200, which addresses improper exposure of sensitive information, and represents a direct violation of proper cookie security practices that should maintain strict separation between different cookie contexts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information leakage, potentially enabling session hijacking attacks and credential exposure in environments where Mojolicious applications handle sensitive user data or authentication tokens. Attackers could exploit this weakness to gather authentication cookies from multiple similar cookie entries, potentially reconstructing user sessions or accessing restricted resources. The vulnerability affects web applications that utilize Mojo::UserAgent::CookieJar for managing cookies during HTTP requests, particularly in scenarios involving complex cookie handling or when applications interact with multiple services that set similar cookies. This issue becomes especially critical in environments where session management relies heavily on cookie-based authentication, as it could enable unauthorized access to protected resources without proper authorization.
Organizations using affected versions of Mojolicious should prioritize immediate patching to version 7.66 or later, which includes fixes for the cookie handling logic that address this leakage issue. The mitigation strategy should also involve reviewing application code that relies on cookie management functionality to ensure proper isolation of cookie contexts and implementation of additional security controls where necessary. Security teams should monitor for potential exploitation attempts and conduct thorough testing of patched environments to verify that the vulnerability has been properly resolved. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper cookie management in web applications and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers credential access through various methods including cookie manipulation and session hijacking. Additionally, the flaw highlights the need for robust input validation and proper state management in web frameworks, particularly in components that handle sensitive session data and authentication tokens.