CVE-2023-49262 in H8951-4G-ESP
Summary
by MITRE • 01/12/2024
The authentication mechanism can be bypassed by overflowing the value of the Cookie "authentication" field, provided there is an active user session.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/10/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-49262 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw that exploits a buffer overflow condition within the cookie validation mechanism. This issue specifically targets the authentication cookie field named "authentication" and occurs when an active user session exists within the system. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and boundary checking during the processing of authentication cookies, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate session state and gain unauthorized access to protected resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a classic buffer overflow scenario where the system fails to properly validate the length and content of the authentication cookie value. When an attacker crafts a specially formatted cookie with an oversized payload, the system's parsing routine overflows the designated memory buffer, potentially overwriting adjacent memory locations or corrupting control structures. This overflow condition can be leveraged to manipulate authentication logic, effectively bypassing the standard session validation checks that would normally require legitimate credentials or session tokens.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risk to systems that rely on cookie-based authentication mechanisms, particularly those implementing session management through HTTP cookies. The attack vector requires only an active session to be present, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by attackers who have already gained some level of access to the system. The impact extends beyond simple unauthorized access to include potential privilege escalation, data theft, and lateral movement within the network. According to the CWE classification system, this vulnerability maps to CWE-121, which specifically addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-287, which covers improper authentication mechanisms.
The attack surface for this vulnerability is particularly concerning as it can be executed by any user who can manipulate HTTP cookies, making it accessible to both internal and external threat actors. The exploitation process typically involves crafting a malicious cookie value that exceeds the expected buffer size, causing the overflow to alter the authentication decision logic. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1548.002, which covers abuse of cloud infrastructure, and T1078.004, which addresses valid accounts, as it allows attackers to leverage existing sessions to bypass authentication controls. Organizations implementing cookie-based session management must consider this vulnerability as a critical threat that could undermine their entire authentication framework.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-49262 should focus on implementing robust input validation and boundary checking mechanisms within the authentication cookie processing pipeline. The most effective approach involves enforcing strict limits on cookie value sizes and implementing proper buffer management techniques to prevent overflow conditions. Additionally, organizations should implement comprehensive logging and monitoring of authentication cookie processing to detect anomalous behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security updates and patches addressing the underlying buffer overflow condition should be prioritized, while implementing additional authentication layers such as multi-factor authentication can provide defense-in-depth against potential exploitation. The remediation process should also include thorough code reviews and security testing of all authentication mechanisms to identify and address similar buffer overflow vulnerabilities throughout the application codebase.