freescout: Session Fixation
CVE-2023-52268 is a critical-severity session fixation vulnerability in freescout from Freescout-helpdesk, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.1 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists version 1.0.65 as the first without the flaw, so updating freescout to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.62% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 50% of scored CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Update freescout to 1.0.65 or a later version.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freescout Helpdesk | freescout | before 1.0.65 | 1.0.65 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- NoneAvailability is not affected.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N. Scored by CISA (ADP).
Official description
The End-User Portal module before 1.0.65 for FreeScout sometimes allows an attacker to authenticate as an arbitrary user because a session token can be sent to the /auth endpoint. NOTE: this module is not part of freescout-helpdesk/freescout on GitHub.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Session Fixation
Authenticating a user, or otherwise establishing a new user session, without invalidating any existing session identifier gives an attacker the opportunity to steal authenticated sessions.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Invalidate any existing session identifiers prior to authorizing a new user session.
- For platforms such as ASP that do not generate new values for sessionid cookies, utilize a secondary cookie. In this approach, set a secondary cookie on the user's browser to a random value and set a session variable to the same value. If the session variable and the cookie value ever don't match, invalidate the session, and force the user to log on again.
- Use an application firewall that can detect attacks against this weakness. It can be beneficial in cases in which the code cannot be fixed (because it is controlled by a third party), as an emergency prevention measure while more comprehensive software assurance measures are applied, or to provide defense in depth.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other references
Other vulnerabilities in freescout
- 9.0 Critical severity
- 8.0 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
Recent Session Fixation vulnerabilities
- 8.8 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
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