CVE-2021-3706 in adminlte
Summary
by MITRE • 09/15/2021
adminlte is vulnerable to Sensitive Cookie Without 'HttpOnly' Flag
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/17/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-3706 affects the adminlte web application framework and represents a critical security flaw in cookie handling mechanisms. This issue specifically involves the absence of the HttpOnly flag in sensitive cookies, which creates significant security risks for applications built using this framework. The vulnerability stems from improper cookie configuration where session tokens and other sensitive authentication data are transmitted without the essential HttpOnly protection that prevents client-side script access to these critical values.
The technical implementation flaw occurs when the adminlte framework fails to properly set the HttpOnly flag during cookie creation processes. This omission allows malicious javascript code executed within the same domain to access sensitive cookie values through document.cookie properties. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-1004 which specifically addresses the lack of proper security-related HTTP headers in web applications. When attackers can access session cookies through client-side scripting, they gain the ability to hijack user sessions and impersonate legitimate users within the application environment.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability exposes applications to session hijacking attacks where adversaries can steal active user sessions and gain unauthorized access to protected resources. The risk is particularly severe because the HttpOnly flag serves as a fundamental defense mechanism against cross-site scripting attacks, which are among the most common and dangerous web application vulnerabilities. Attackers can leverage this weakness to execute persistent session theft attacks, potentially gaining access to administrative functions, personal user data, and sensitive business information. The vulnerability also increases the attack surface for privilege escalation scenarios where attackers can use stolen session tokens to perform actions beyond their initial access level.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2021-3706 involve implementing proper cookie security configurations within the adminlte framework. Organizations should ensure that all sensitive cookies, particularly session tokens and authentication identifiers, include the HttpOnly flag in their cookie settings. This can be achieved through framework-level configuration updates or by implementing proper cookie management functions that automatically apply security flags during cookie creation. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive security audits to identify all cookie implementations within their applications and verify that appropriate security headers are consistently applied. The solution aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which focuses on modifying security software and T1566 which covers credential access through social engineering and session manipulation. Security teams should also implement monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts and establish incident response procedures specifically addressing session hijacking scenarios. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of following secure coding practices and implementing defense-in-depth strategies that include proper cookie security mechanisms as part of overall application security posture management.