CVE-2021-46279 is a medium severity vulnerability affecting the Lanner Inc IAC-AST2500A device running standard firmware version 1.10.0. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-384 (Session Fixation) and CWE-613 (Insufficient Session Expiration). Session fixation vulnerabilities occur when an attacker can set or predict a valid session identifier for a user before the user logs in, allowing the attacker to hijack the user's session after authentication. Insufficient session expiration means that sessions remain valid longer than necessary or are not properly invalidated after logout or inactivity, increasing the window of opportunity for attackers to reuse session tokens. In this case, the affected device's firmware does not adequately protect against session fixation attacks and fails to expire sessions appropriately, enabling attackers to hijack authenticated sessions. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.8 (medium), with vector AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L, indicating that the attack can be performed remotely over the network but requires high attack complexity and user interaction. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability to a limited extent, as attackers could gain unauthorized access to the device's management interface or services. No known exploits are reported in the wild, and no patches or mitigations are currently linked, suggesting that the vendor may not have released an official fix yet. The device in question is a specialized industrial or network appliance, likely used in critical infrastructure or enterprise environments, where secure session management is essential to prevent unauthorized control or data leakage.

For European organizations using the Lanner IAC-AST2500A device, this vulnerability poses a risk of unauthorized access to device management interfaces or services through session hijacking. This could lead to unauthorized configuration changes, data exposure, or disruption of services managed by the device. Given the device's probable use in industrial control systems, telecommunications, or network infrastructure, exploitation could impact operational continuity and data confidentiality. The medium severity score reflects that exploitation requires user interaction and has high complexity, but the consequence of a successful attack could be significant in sensitive environments. European organizations in sectors such as manufacturing, energy, transportation, and critical infrastructure that deploy these devices could face increased risk of targeted attacks aiming to disrupt operations or exfiltrate sensitive information. The session fixation nature of the vulnerability means attackers might leverage social engineering or phishing to trick users into authenticating with attacker-controlled session tokens, increasing the attack surface. Additionally, insufficient session expiration extends the window during which hijacked sessions remain valid, facilitating persistent unauthorized access.

1. Immediate mitigation should include restricting access to the device management interface to trusted networks and IP addresses using network segmentation and firewall rules. 2. Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) for device access where possible to reduce the risk of session hijacking leading to full compromise. 3. Monitor device logs for unusual session activity or repeated login attempts that could indicate exploitation attempts. 4. Educate users on the risks of session fixation and phishing attacks to reduce the likelihood of user interaction-based exploitation. 5. If possible, disable or limit web-based management interfaces or replace them with more secure alternatives. 6. Regularly check for firmware updates or security advisories from Lanner Inc and apply patches promptly once available. 7. Implement session timeout policies and ensure sessions are invalidated immediately upon logout or after a short period of inactivity. 8. Use network intrusion detection systems (NIDS) to detect anomalous traffic patterns that may indicate session hijacking attempts. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on network-level controls, user training, and proactive monitoring tailored to the device's operational context.