CVE-2024-58317 identifies a cookie security vulnerability in Kentico Xperience, a popular CMS platform built on the .NET Framework. The issue stems from improper handling of the 'requireSSL' attribute in the web.config file, which is intended to enforce that cookies, particularly those used for administrative sessions, are only transmitted over secure HTTPS connections. Due to this misconfiguration, the administration cookies may be set without the 'Secure' attribute, allowing them to be sent over unencrypted HTTP connections. This exposes the cookies to potential interception via man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks, leading to session hijacking where an attacker can impersonate an authenticated administrator. The vulnerability does not require any authentication or user interaction, making it remotely exploitable over the network. The CVSS 4.0 score of 6.9 (medium severity) reflects the moderate impact on confidentiality and integrity, with ease of exploitation and no privileges required. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, but the vulnerability represents a significant risk to session security and authentication integrity in affected deployments. The vulnerability affects all versions of Kentico Xperience using .NET Framework where the 'requireSSL' attribute is incorrectly configured or ignored. Since the vulnerability is configuration-based, remediation involves correcting the web.config settings to ensure the 'Secure' flag is applied to all sensitive cookies. This vulnerability highlights the importance of secure cookie attributes in protecting session data and preventing unauthorized access to administrative functions.

For European organizations, the vulnerability poses a risk of session hijacking attacks targeting administrative interfaces of Kentico Xperience deployments. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to gain unauthorized administrative access, leading to data breaches, content manipulation, or disruption of web services. This is particularly critical for organizations managing sensitive or regulated data, such as financial institutions, healthcare providers, and government agencies. The exposure of session cookies over non-HTTPS channels undermines confidentiality and integrity of authentication sessions. Given the widespread use of .NET technologies and Kentico in Europe, especially in sectors relying on web content management, the vulnerability could affect a broad range of organizations. The risk is heightened in environments where HTTPS enforcement is inconsistent or where legacy configurations persist. Additionally, attackers could leverage this vulnerability as a foothold for further lateral movement or privilege escalation within compromised networks. The absence of known exploits currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the potential for future attacks. Therefore, European organizations must assess their exposure and implement mitigations promptly to protect critical web administration interfaces.

1. Review and update the web.config file in all Kentico Xperience deployments to ensure the 'requireSSL' attribute is correctly set to true for all cookies, particularly those related to administration and authentication. 2. Explicitly set the 'Secure' attribute on all session and authentication cookies to enforce transmission only over HTTPS. 3. Conduct a thorough audit of all web applications and services to verify that HTTPS is enforced site-wide, eliminating any possibility of HTTP fallback. 4. Implement HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) headers to instruct browsers to only connect via HTTPS, reducing the risk of downgrade attacks. 5. Use web application firewalls (WAFs) to monitor and block suspicious traffic patterns that may indicate session hijacking attempts. 6. Regularly monitor logs for anomalous session activity, including unusual login times or IP addresses, to detect potential exploitation. 7. Educate development and operations teams on secure cookie handling best practices to prevent similar misconfigurations. 8. Stay updated with Kentico security advisories and apply patches or updates as they become available. 9. Consider implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) on administrative accounts to add an additional layer of security beyond cookie-based sessions. 10. For legacy systems where immediate patching is not feasible, consider isolating administrative interfaces behind VPNs or IP whitelisting to limit exposure.