CVE-2018-11385 : What You Need to Know

A vulnerability has been found in the Security component in Symfony versions 2.7.x to 2.7.48, 2.8.x to 2.8.41, 3.3.x to 3.3.17, 3.4.x to 3.4.11, and 4.0.x to 4.0.11. The "Guard" login feature is susceptible to a session fixation attack, allowing an attacker to impersonate a victim on the web application if the attacker had prior knowledge of the session id value.

Understanding CVE-2018-11385

This CVE identifies a vulnerability in Symfony's Security component that could lead to a session fixation attack.

What is CVE-2018-11385?

CVE-2018-11385 is a security vulnerability in Symfony versions 2.7.x to 2.7.48, 2.8.x to 2.8.41, 3.3.x to 3.3.17, 3.4.x to 3.4.11, and 4.0.x to 4.0.11, where the "Guard" login feature is exposed to a session fixation attack.

The Impact of CVE-2018-11385

The vulnerability could allow an attacker to impersonate a victim on the web application if they possess prior knowledge of the session id value.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-11385

This section provides more in-depth technical details about the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability lies in the "Guard" login feature of Symfony versions mentioned, enabling a session fixation attack.

Affected Systems and Versions

Symfony 2.7.x to 2.7.48
Symfony 2.8.x to 2.8.41
Symfony 3.3.x to 3.3.17
Symfony 3.4.x to 3.4.11
Symfony 4.0.x to 4.0.11

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability allows attackers to fixate a session id, potentially leading to impersonation of victims on the web application.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2018-11385 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Symfony to the latest patched version immediately.
Invalidate existing sessions and force re-authentication.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement strong session management practices.
Regularly monitor and audit session activities for anomalies.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches provided by Symfony promptly.