CVE-2022-31689 is a critical session fixation vulnerability identified in VMware Workspace ONE Assist versions prior to 22.10. Workspace ONE Assist is a remote support solution that enables IT administrators to remotely access and troubleshoot end-user devices. The vulnerability arises because the application improperly handles session tokens, allowing an attacker who obtains a valid session token to reuse it to authenticate to the application without needing to re-authenticate. This is a classic session fixation flaw (CWE-384), where the session identifier remains unchanged after login, enabling an attacker to hijack a legitimate user's session. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 reflects the high severity, with an attack vector over the network (AV:N), no required privileges (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and full impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). Exploitation does not require authentication or user interaction, making it highly exploitable remotely. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability poses a significant risk because an attacker who obtains or predicts a valid session token can gain unauthorized access to the Workspace ONE Assist environment. This could lead to unauthorized remote control of devices, data exfiltration, or disruption of IT support operations. Since Workspace ONE Assist is widely used in enterprise environments for remote device management, exploitation could compromise sensitive corporate endpoints and data.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability is substantial. Many enterprises and public sector entities across Europe rely on VMware Workspace ONE Assist for remote IT support, especially with the increase in remote work. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to bypass authentication controls, gaining unauthorized access to remote support sessions. This could lead to exposure of sensitive corporate data, unauthorized changes to endpoint configurations, or deployment of malware. The compromise of IT support tools also undermines trust in organizational security and can disrupt business continuity. Given the critical nature of the vulnerability and the high privileges typically associated with Workspace ONE Assist, attackers could pivot within networks, escalating their access. This is particularly concerning for sectors with stringent data protection requirements under GDPR, such as finance, healthcare, and government institutions in Europe. The potential for widespread impact is elevated by the network-exploitable nature of the flaw and the absence of required user interaction.

European organizations should prioritize upgrading VMware Workspace ONE Assist to version 22.10 or later, where this vulnerability is addressed. Until patching is possible, organizations should implement strict network segmentation to limit access to the Workspace ONE Assist management interfaces, restricting them to trusted IP addresses and VPN-only access. Employing multi-factor authentication (MFA) on the management console can add an additional layer of security, although it may not fully mitigate session fixation risks. Monitoring and logging of session tokens and remote access sessions should be enhanced to detect anomalous or reused session tokens. Organizations should also review and tighten session management policies, including enforcing session expiration and regeneration of session tokens upon authentication. Security teams should conduct regular audits of remote support activities and educate IT staff about the risks of session fixation attacks. Finally, integrating Workspace ONE Assist logs with SIEM solutions can help detect suspicious activities indicative of session hijacking attempts.