CVE-2022-1655 in OpenStack
Summary
by MITRE • 07/22/2022
An Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource flaw was found in Horizon on Red Hat OpenStack. Horizon session cookies are created without the HttpOnly flag despite HorizonSecureCookies being set to true in the environmental files, possibly leading to a loss of confidentiality and integrity.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/20/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-1655 represents a critical permission assignment flaw within the Horizon web interface of Red Hat OpenStack platforms. This issue specifically affects the session cookie management mechanism where the HttpOnly flag is not properly implemented despite the configuration parameter HorizonSecureCookies being set to true. The HttpOnly flag serves as a fundamental security measure that prevents client-side scripts from accessing cookies, thereby mitigating cross-site scripting attacks that could potentially compromise session tokens and user credentials.
This vulnerability falls under the CWE-614 category of Sensitive Cookie in HTTPS Without the HttpOnly Flag, which directly aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential access through credential dumping. The flaw demonstrates a critical misconfiguration in the security framework where the system fails to enforce proper cookie security policies even when explicit security settings are enabled. The improper implementation creates a window of opportunity for attackers to exploit session hijacking techniques, potentially leading to unauthorized access to user accounts and administrative privileges within the OpenStack environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple confidentiality breaches, as it fundamentally undermines the integrity of the authentication system. When session cookies lack the HttpOnly flag, malicious actors can execute JavaScript-based attacks that capture session tokens directly from the browser's memory, bypassing traditional security controls. This creates a significant risk for cloud environments where Horizon serves as the primary management interface, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges and gain full administrative control over the OpenStack platform. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in multi-tenant environments where compromised sessions could lead to data leakage across different user domains.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-1655 should focus on immediate configuration corrections within the Horizon environment, ensuring that all session cookies are properly configured with the HttpOnly flag regardless of the HorizonSecureCookies setting. System administrators must verify that the web server configuration properly enforces cookie security policies and implement additional monitoring for suspicious session activity. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of cookie attributes to confirm proper implementation, along with regular security audits to prevent similar misconfigurations in other components of the OpenStack infrastructure. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as secure cookie flags, proper session timeout mechanisms, and enhanced logging to detect potential exploitation attempts.