CVE-2017-5656: Cxf core Session Fixation Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-v936-x3j5-c76j
CVSS 7.5
CWE-384
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2017-5656 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.5) session fixation vulnerability (CWE-384: Session Fixation) affecting Cxf core libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves session fixation in apache cxf. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 3.1.11, 3.0.13.

CVE-2017-5656 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2017-5656
GHSA Identifier GHSA-v936-x3j5-c76j
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.5
CWE Classification CWE-384: Session Fixation
Affected Product Cxf core
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.5

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity None (I:N)
Availability None (A:N)

How to Fix CVE-2017-5656

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Cxf core dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

org.apache.cxf:cxf-core fixed: 3.1.11
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.cxf</groupId>
    <artifactId>cxf-core</artifactId>
    <version>3.1.11</version>
</dependency>
org.apache.cxf:cxf-core fixed: 3.0.13
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.cxf</groupId>
    <artifactId>cxf-core</artifactId>
    <version>3.0.13</version>
</dependency>
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.cxf

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2017-5656, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.cxf

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Cxf core in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 3.1.11), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.cxf command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-384: Session Fixation, where 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. In Cxf core, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

Apache CXF's STSClient before 3.1.11 and 3.0.13 uses a flawed way of caching tokens that are associated with delegation tokens, which means that an attacker could craft a token which would return an identifer corresponding to a cached token for another user.

CVE-2017-5656 Affected Cxf core Versions

2 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
3.1.113.0.13
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.apache.cxf:cxf-core
Maven
≥ 3.1.0
< 3.1.11
3.1.11
org.apache.cxf:cxf-core
Maven
< 3.0.13
3.0.13

References

NVD — CVE-2017-5656 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-5656
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/apache/cxf/commit/1a4fe22fc297f8be204788bcdfcd498e91201a01
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2017:18... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:1832
access.redhat.com/errata/rhsa-2018:16... WEB
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:1694
Cxf core Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/apache/cxf
lists.apache.org/thread.html/r36e44f... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r36e44ffc1a9b365327df62cdfaabe85b9a5637de102cea07d79b2dbf@%3Ccommits.cxf.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/rc77427... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rc774278135816e7afc943dc9fc78eb0764f2c84a2b96470a0187315c@%3Ccommits.cxf.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/rd49aab... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rd49aabd984ed540c8ff7916d4d79405f3fa311d2fdbcf9ed307839a6@%3Ccommits.cxf.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/rec7160... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rec7160382badd3ef4ad017a22f64a266c7188b9ba71394f0d321e2d4@%3Ccommits.cxf.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/rfb87e0... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rfb87e0bf3995e7d560afeed750fac9329ff5f1ad49da365129b7f89e@%3Ccommits.cxf.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/rff42cf... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rff42cfa5e7d75b7c1af0e37589140a8f1999e578a75738740b244bd4@%3Ccommits.cxf.apache.org%3E
Cxf core Security Information SECURITY
http://cxf.apache.org/security-advisories.data/CVE-2017-5656.txt.asc?version=1&modificationDate=1492515113282&api=v2
Cxf core Security Information SECURITY
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/97971
Cxf core Security Information SECURITY
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1038282

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2017-5656?
CVE-2017-5656 is a security vulnerability in Cxf core involving Session Fixation in Apache CXF under CWE-384: Session Fixation.
Which Cxf core versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 3.1.11, 3.0.13 across affected packages: org.apache.cxf:cxf-core.
What version fixes CVE-2017-5656?
Upgrading to 3.1.11, 3.0.13 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is cxf-core affected?
Yes, org.apache.cxf:cxf-core is affected in releases prior to 3.1.11, 3.0.13. Upgrade your dependency to 3.1.11, 3.0.13 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2017-5656?
CVE-2017-5656 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2017-5656?
CVE-2017-5656 is classified under CWE-384: 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 can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2017-5656?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.cxf'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-v936-x3j5-c76j",
  "modified" : "2023-12-21T23:06:30Z",
  "published" : "2022-05-13T01:09:19Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2017-5656" ],
  "summary" : "Session Fixation in Apache CXF",
  "details" : "Apache CXF's STSClient before 3.1.11 and 3.0.13 uses a flawed way of caching tokens that are associated with delegation tokens, which means that an attacker could craft a token which would return an identifer corresponding to a cached token for another user.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.cxf:cxf-core"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "3.1.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "3.1.11"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 3.1.10"
    }
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.cxf:cxf-core"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "3.0.13"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 3.0.12"
    }
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-5656"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/apache/cxf/commit/1a4fe22fc297f8be204788bcdfcd498e91201a01"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:1832"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:1694"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/apache/cxf"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r36e44ffc1a9b365327df62cdfaabe85b9a5637de102cea07d79b2dbf@%3Ccommits.cxf.apache.org%3E"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rc774278135816e7afc943dc9fc78eb0764f2c84a2b96470a0187315c@%3Ccommits.cxf.apache.org%3E"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rd49aabd984ed540c8ff7916d4d79405f3fa311d2fdbcf9ed307839a6@%3Ccommits.cxf.apache.org%3E"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rec7160382badd3ef4ad017a22f64a266c7188b9ba71394f0d321e2d4@%3Ccommits.cxf.apache.org%3E"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rfb87e0bf3995e7d560afeed750fac9329ff5f1ad49da365129b7f89e@%3Ccommits.cxf.apache.org%3E"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rff42cfa5e7d75b7c1af0e37589140a8f1999e578a75738740b244bd4@%3Ccommits.cxf.apache.org%3E"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://cxf.apache.org/security-advisories.data/CVE-2017-5656.txt.asc?version=1&modificationDate=1492515113282&api=v2"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/97971"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1038282"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-384" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2022-07-01T11:58:52Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2017-04-18T16:59:00Z"
  }
}