CVE-2022-44788 is a session fixation vulnerability identified in Appalti & Contratti version 9.12.2. The vulnerability arises because the application fails to update the JSESSIONID cookie value after a user successfully logs in. Specifically, when a user initiates a session and receives a JSESSIONID cookie from the server, this cookie remains unchanged even after authentication. An attacker can exploit this by forcing or tricking a victim into authenticating with a known session ID (the fixed JSESSIONID). Since the session ID does not change post-login, the attacker can hijack the authenticated session by using the same session ID, gaining unauthorized access to the victim's account or sensitive information. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-384 (Session Fixation). The CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.5 (medium severity), with vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N, indicating that the attack can be performed remotely over the network with low attack complexity, no privileges required, but requires user interaction (the victim must log in). The impact is high on confidentiality, as the attacker can access sensitive data without altering integrity or availability. No known exploits are reported in the wild, and no patches or vendor advisories are currently linked. The vulnerability affects the session management mechanism of the web application, which is critical for maintaining secure user authentication states.

For European organizations using Appalti & Contratti 9.12.2, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality of user data and sensitive business information. Attackers exploiting session fixation can impersonate legitimate users, potentially accessing procurement, contract management, or financial data managed by the application. This can lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive commercial information, intellectual property, or personal data, which may violate GDPR regulations and result in legal and financial penalties. The lack of session ID regeneration after login undermines the trustworthiness of authentication mechanisms, increasing the risk of insider threats or external attackers leveraging social engineering to fixate sessions. Although the vulnerability does not impact integrity or availability directly, the breach of confidentiality alone can cause reputational damage and loss of competitive advantage. European organizations in sectors such as public administration, finance, and manufacturing that rely on Appalti & Contratti for contract and procurement management are particularly at risk. Given the medium severity and requirement for user interaction, the threat is moderate but should not be underestimated, especially in environments with high-value targets or sensitive data.

1. Immediate implementation of session ID regeneration upon successful authentication is critical. The application should invalidate the initial JSESSIONID and issue a new, unique session ID after login to prevent session fixation. 2. Conduct a thorough review of session management policies within Appalti & Contratti, ensuring compliance with OWASP session management best practices, including secure cookie attributes (HttpOnly, Secure, SameSite). 3. Implement additional security controls such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce the risk of session hijacking even if session fixation occurs. 4. Educate users about the risks of clicking on suspicious links or using untrusted devices to log in, as user interaction is required for exploitation. 5. Monitor web application logs for unusual session activity, such as multiple logins with the same session ID or concurrent sessions from different IP addresses. 6. If possible, deploy web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block session fixation attempts. 7. Engage with the vendor or development team to obtain patches or updates addressing this vulnerability and apply them promptly once available. 8. For organizations unable to immediately patch, consider isolating the affected application behind additional network segmentation or access controls to limit exposure.