CVE-2023-28003 in EcoStruxure Power Monitoring Expert
Summary
by MITRE • 04/19/2023
A CWE-613: Insufficient Session Expiration vulnerability exists that could allow an attacker to maintain unauthorized access over a hijacked session in PME after the legitimate user has signed out of their account.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/13/2023
The vulnerability described in CVE-2023-28003 represents a critical session management flaw classified under CWE-613, Insufficient Session Expiration, which fundamentally undermines the security of user authentication within the PME system. This weakness allows attackers to exploit session tokens even after legitimate users have properly logged out, creating a persistent security risk that can be leveraged for unauthorized access and data compromise. The vulnerability specifically affects the session handling mechanism within PME, where session expiration policies are inadequately enforced, enabling attackers to maintain access to compromised sessions indefinitely. The root cause lies in the system's failure to properly invalidate or terminate session tokens upon user logout, which violates fundamental principles of secure session management and authentication.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper session token invalidation processes where the system fails to ensure that session identifiers become immediately invalid upon user sign-out. This creates a window of opportunity for attackers who have intercepted session tokens through various means such as network sniffing, cross-site scripting attacks, or session hijacking techniques. The flaw operates at the application layer where session management is handled, typically through cookies or tokens that are not properly cleared or marked as invalid when users terminate their sessions. Attackers can leverage this weakness by maintaining access to resources and functionalities that should only be available to authenticated users, potentially leading to data exfiltration, unauthorized transactions, or privilege escalation within the system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, creating significant risks for organizations relying on PME for sensitive operations. When legitimate users sign out of their accounts, the system should immediately invalidate their session tokens to prevent any further access attempts. However, the insufficient session expiration allows attackers to continue exploiting the compromised session, potentially accessing confidential data, modifying system configurations, or performing actions that could result in financial loss or regulatory compliance violations. The vulnerability also undermines the principle of least privilege and can enable attackers to maintain persistent access to systems, making it particularly dangerous for environments where sensitive information or critical infrastructure is managed.
Organizations should implement comprehensive session management policies to address this vulnerability, including immediate session token invalidation upon user logout, proper session timeout mechanisms, and robust session monitoring capabilities. The mitigation strategies should focus on enforcing strict session lifecycle management where session identifiers are invalidated server-side immediately upon logout, and session tokens are regenerated for each new session. Additionally, implementing session binding mechanisms, secure cookie attributes, and regular session validation checks can help prevent exploitation of this weakness. Security teams should also consider implementing session monitoring and alerting systems to detect unusual session behavior or unauthorized access attempts. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, Phishing, and T1078, Valid Accounts, as it enables attackers to maintain access using stolen session tokens, potentially through initial compromise via phishing or other social engineering techniques, and can be exploited for lateral movement within the network. The implementation of proper session management controls addresses multiple security domains including authentication, access control, and session security, making it a critical remediation priority for maintaining system integrity and protecting sensitive data assets.