Session Hijacking

Session hijacking is a cyberattack where an attacker takes over a valid user's active session with a web application or service.

Here's a breakdown:

• Active Session: When a user logs into a website (e.g., online banking), the server creates a temporary session to track their activity so they don't have to log in again for every page request.

• Session Identifier: The server assigns users a unique session ID (often stored in a "cookie"). The website uses this ID to recognize and authenticate the user during their session.

• Taking Control: In session hijacking, the attacker obtains the victim's valid session ID.

• Unauthorized Actions: The attacker can then use the stolen session ID to impersonate the user and perform any action that the user is authorized to do on the website.

Essentially, the attacker tricks the website into believing they are the legitimate user.

ThreatNG offers valuable capabilities that contribute to identifying and mitigating session hijacking risks.

• External Discovery: ThreatNG's external discovery is a strong starting point. Its ability to perform purely external unauthenticated discovery effectively identifies external-facing assets like web applications and subdomains, which are key targets for session hijacking attempts.

• External Assessment: ThreatNG's external assessments provide helpful information for understanding session hijacking vulnerabilities.

• The Web Application Hack Susceptibility assessment is particularly relevant. It analyzes accessible web application components to find weaknesses that attackers could exploit.

• The Cyber Risk Exposure assessment also contributes by considering vulnerabilities and exposed ports, which can indirectly aid in identifying potential weaknesses.

• Furthermore, the Code Secret Exposure assessment is valuable for detecting exposed session IDs or keys within code repositories.

• Reporting: ThreatNG's reporting capabilities effectively communicate session hijacking risks.

• Reports can prioritize web applications with high "Web Application Hijack Susceptibility" scores, drawing attention to areas needing immediate action.

• "Code Secret Exposure" reports alert security teams to the presence of exposed session-related secrets.

• Continuous Monitoring: ThreatNG's constant monitoring of the external attack surface is a valuable asset. It helps organizations stay aware of new vulnerabilities in web applications that could be exploited for session hijacking.

• Investigation Modules: ThreatNG's investigation modules provide detailed information for analyzing session hijacking vulnerabilities.

• The Domain Intelligence module's Subdomain Intelligence feature offers insights through "HTTP Responses" and "Header Analysis," which can reveal necessary session security configurations.

• The Sensitive Code Exposure module enables an in-depth investigation of code repositories, aiding in the discovery of session management vulnerabilities and exposed session identifiers.

• Working with Complementary Solutions: ThreatNG enhances overall security by complementing other security tools.

• It can provide valuable information about web application vulnerabilities to Web Application Firewalls (WAFs).

• It can also strengthen Identity and Access Management (IAM) systems by providing data on exposed code secrets, which can inform stronger session security policies.

ThreatNG offers a range of capabilities that empower organizations to identify and mitigate session hijacking risks proactively.