CVE-2022-30769 in ZoneMinder
Summary
by MITRE • 11/16/2022
Session fixation exists in ZoneMinder through 1.36.12 as an attacker can poison a session cookie to the next logged-in user.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/19/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-30769 represents a critical session fixation flaw within ZoneMinder version 1.36.12 and earlier, exposing the system to unauthorized access and privilege escalation attacks. This weakness allows malicious actors to manipulate session cookies in a manner that can persist across user logins, effectively enabling attackers to hijack active sessions and gain unauthorized access to the surveillance system. The issue stems from inadequate session management practices that fail to properly invalidate or regenerate session identifiers upon successful authentication, creating a persistent security vector that can be exploited by attackers who successfully poison the session cookie.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application's failure to properly handle session cookie regeneration during the authentication process. When a user logs into ZoneMinder, the system should invalidate the previous session identifier and generate a new, unique session token to prevent session fixation attacks. However, the vulnerable implementation allows attackers to set a predetermined session cookie value that persists through subsequent authentication attempts, enabling them to maintain access to the system even after legitimate users have logged out or the session has expired. This flaw operates at the application layer and specifically affects the web-based interface of ZoneMinder, which is commonly used for remote surveillance management and monitoring operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can enable attackers to compromise entire surveillance networks and potentially gain access to sensitive visual data from security cameras. Attackers can exploit this weakness to monitor and control surveillance systems, manipulate recorded footage, or even disable security features entirely. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where ZoneMinder is deployed for critical security infrastructure, as it could allow adversaries to remain undetected while accessing confidential surveillance data. Additionally, the persistence of the session fixation attack means that even if users log out or the system restarts, the attacker's session can remain active, creating a long-term security risk that can go unnoticed for extended periods.
Organizations using ZoneMinder should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to version 1.36.13 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for this vulnerability. The patch addresses the session management implementation by ensuring proper session regeneration upon successful authentication and implementing secure session cookie handling mechanisms. Security teams should also consider implementing additional controls such as session timeout configurations, secure cookie attributes like HttpOnly and Secure flags, and monitoring for suspicious authentication patterns. From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-384, which specifically addresses session fixation issues, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through credential theft, making it a significant concern for organizations following the MITRE ATT&CK framework for threat analysis and defense planning.