CVE-2020-4253 in Content Navigator
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Content Navigator 3.0CD does not invalidate session after logout which could allow an authenticated user to impersonate another user on the system. IBM X-Force ID: 175559.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/11/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-4253 affects IBM Content Navigator version 3.0CD and represents a critical session management flaw that undermines the system's authentication security model. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly terminate user sessions upon logout, creating a persistent security risk that allows unauthorized access to system resources. The vulnerability specifically targets the session invalidation mechanism within the content navigation framework, where authenticated users can maintain access to the system even after they have explicitly logged out. This behavior creates a window of opportunity for malicious actors to exploit the system and gain unauthorized access to sensitive content and administrative functions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the session management component of IBM Content Navigator, where the application fails to properly clear session tokens and authentication credentials when a user initiates a logout sequence. This flaw aligns with CWE-613, which addresses insufficient session expiration, and represents a direct violation of secure session management best practices. The vulnerability enables what cybersecurity professionals refer to as session hijacking or session fixation attacks, where an attacker can reuse valid session identifiers to impersonate legitimate users. The flaw does not require additional authentication credentials since the session tokens remain active in the system's memory or storage, allowing unauthorized access to the same privileges and permissions that were available to the original user.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations using IBM Content Navigator for document management and content sharing. The impact extends beyond simple unauthorized access to include potential data breaches, privilege escalation, and unauthorized modification of content. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to access sensitive business documents, administrative controls, and system configurations that should only be available to authorized personnel. The risk is particularly elevated in environments where multiple users share the same system or when users access the system from shared or public workstations. This vulnerability also violates fundamental security principles outlined in the NIST SP 800-53 security controls, specifically addressing access control and session management requirements that mandate proper session termination upon user logout.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates for IBM Content Navigator, configuring additional session timeout mechanisms, and implementing monitoring controls to detect unusual session behavior. The vulnerability can be addressed through proper session invalidation procedures that ensure all session tokens are properly cleared and that the system enforces strict session termination policies. Security teams should also consider implementing additional authentication controls such as multi-factor authentication and session monitoring to detect and prevent unauthorized access attempts. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that logout functionality properly terminates all active sessions and that no session tokens persist in memory or cache after user logout. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper session management in enterprise content management systems and reinforces the necessity of regular security assessments to identify and address authentication-related flaws that could compromise system integrity and data security.