CVE-2019-3784 in Cloud Foundry Stratos
Summary
by MITRE
Cloud Foundry Stratos, versions prior to 2.3.0, contains an insecure session that can be spoofed. When deployed on cloud foundry with multiple instances using the default embedded SQLite database, a remote authenticated malicious user can switch sessions to another user with the same session id.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/29/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-3784 affects Cloud Foundry Stratos versions prior to 2.3.0 and represents a critical session management flaw that undermines the security of multi-instance deployments. This issue specifically manifests when Stratos is configured to operate on Cloud Foundry platforms with multiple application instances utilizing the default embedded SQLite database for session storage. The vulnerability stems from insufficient session isolation mechanisms that fail to properly differentiate between user sessions, creating a scenario where authenticated attackers can exploit session identifiers to impersonate legitimate users. The technical root cause lies in the improper handling of session data persistence and retrieval across distributed application instances, where session information stored in the SQLite database does not adequately account for the distributed nature of the platform architecture.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple session hijacking to encompass potential privilege escalation and unauthorized access to sensitive user data and system functionalities. An authenticated malicious user can leverage this flaw to switch sessions to other users within the same system, effectively bypassing authentication mechanisms and gaining access to resources and information that should be restricted to specific user identities. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-613, which addresses inadequate session management and the exposure of session identifiers to unauthorized users. The attack vector becomes particularly dangerous in multi-instance environments where session data might be replicated or shared across different application processes, creating an attack surface that allows for session switching without proper authentication validation.
The security implications of CVE-2019-3784 align with ATT&CK technique T1548.002, which covers abuse of session management features for privilege escalation. In Cloud Foundry environments, this vulnerability enables attackers to exploit the platform's session handling mechanisms to gain unauthorized access to other users' sessions, potentially compromising entire user accounts and their associated permissions. The vulnerability becomes more pronounced in production environments where multiple Stratos instances operate concurrently, as session data synchronization issues between instances create opportunities for session spoofing. Organizations utilizing Cloud Foundry Stratos in such configurations face significant risk of data breaches and unauthorized system access, particularly when sensitive operational information is exposed through compromised user sessions. The distributed nature of Cloud Foundry deployments exacerbates this issue since session state management becomes complex when multiple application instances need to maintain consistent session information.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-3784 primarily focus on upgrading to Stratos version 2.3.0 or later, which includes enhanced session management features that properly isolate user sessions across multiple instances. Organizations should also implement proper session storage mechanisms using external databases or distributed session stores rather than relying on the default embedded SQLite implementation. The recommended approach involves configuring Stratos to utilize Redis or other distributed session storage solutions that provide proper session isolation and consistency across multiple application instances. Additionally, implementing robust session timeout mechanisms, enforcing secure session cookie attributes, and regularly auditing session management configurations can significantly reduce the attack surface. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact of session-related vulnerabilities within their Cloud Foundry deployments.