ABB Cylon Aspect 3.08.02 (MIX) Session Validation Bypass


Vendor: ABB Ltd.
Product web page: https://www.global.abb
Affected version: NEXUS Series, MATRIX-2 Series, ASPECT-Enterprise, ASPECT-Studio
                  Firmware: <=3.08.02

Summary: ASPECT is an award-winning scalable building energy management
and control solution designed to allow users seamless access to their
building data through standard building protocols including smart devices.

Desc: ABB Cylon Aspect suffers from a broken session management issue. The
backend implements inconsistent session validation by prioritizing the
Authorization header over the PHPSESSID cookie, which is typically used
to authenticate access to the controller system’s admin panel. While the
PHPSESSID governs access to core configuration areas, the Authorization
header acts as a second factor for authenticating against the HMI interface
exposed on port 7226 by the mix.jar service. However, the system fails to
enforce both factors simultaneously. If a client supplies a valid-looking
Authorization header, access is granted, even in the absence of a valid
PHPSESSID. This flaw breaks the expected session integrity model and allows
an attacker to bypass proper authentication by forging or reusing the
Authorization header alone, effectively nullifying multi-factor session
enforcement.

Tested on: GNU/Linux 3.15.10 (armv7l)
           GNU/Linux 3.10.0 (x86_64)
           GNU/Linux 2.6.32 (x86_64)
           Intel(R) Atom(TM) Processor E3930 @ 1.30GHz
           Intel(R) Xeon(R) Silver 4208 CPU @ 2.10GHz
           PHP/7.3.11
           PHP/5.6.30
           PHP/5.4.16
           PHP/4.4.8
           PHP/5.3.3
           AspectFT Automation Application Server
           lighttpd/1.4.32
           lighttpd/1.4.18
           Apache/2.2.15 (CentOS)
           OpenJDK Runtime Environment (rhel-2.6.22.1.-x86_64)
           OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM (build 24.261-b02, mixed mode)
           ErgoTech MIX Deployment Server 2.0.0


Vulnerability discovered by Gjoko 'LiquidWorm' Krstic
                            @zeroscience


Advisory ID: ZSL-2025-5938
Advisory URL: https://www.zeroscience.mk/en/vulnerabilities/ZSL-2025-5938.php


21.04.2024

--


$ cat project

                 P   R   O   J   E   C   T

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░▒▓█▓▒░░▒▓█▓▒░▒▓█▓▒░░▒▓█▓▒░▒▓█▓▒░░▒▓█▓▒░▒▓█▓▒░▒▓█▓▒░░▒▓█▓▒░ 
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░▒▓███████▓▒░░▒▓█▓▒░░▒▓█▓▒░▒▓█▓▒░░▒▓█▓▒░▒▓█▓▒░▒▓█▓▒░░▒▓█▓▒░                                                            
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         ░▒▓█▓▒░░░░░░░▒▓█▓▒░░▒▓█▓▒░▒▓█▓▒░░░░░░░ 
         ░▒▓██████▓▒░░▒▓█▓▒░░▒▓█▓▒░▒▓█▓▒▒▓███▓▒░
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         ░▒▓█▓▒░░░░░░░▒▓█▓▒░░▒▓█▓▒░▒▓█▓▒░░▒▓█▓▒░
         ░▒▓█▓▒░░░░░░░░▒▓██████▓▒░ ░▒▓██████▓▒░                                               
                                                                                                               

$ curl http://192.168.73.31:7226/servlet/UserManager \
> -d "newuser=test1&password=test1&passwordConfirm=test1&Insert=Add" \
> -H "Authorization: Basic ***"