ApostropheCMS is an open-source Node.js content management system. Prior to 4.33.0 of ApostropheCMS and 1.6.1 of passport-bridge,…
GitHub_M·CWE-598·Published 2026-10-20
ApostropheCMS is an open-source Node.js content management system. Prior to 4.33.0 of ApostropheCMS and 1.6.1 of passport-bridge, cross-host or cross-locale session migration places a single-use bearer session token in a redirect URL. A client that obtains and redeems a still-valid, unconsumed token before its first use can adopt the associated session, including through the passport-bridge cross-locale flow. This issue is fixed in ApostropheCMS 4.33.0 and passport-bridge 1.6.1.
ApostropheCMS is an open-source Node.js content management system. Prior to 4.33.0 of ApostropheCMS and 1.6.1 of passport-bridge, cross-host or cross-locale session migration places a single-use bearer session token in a redirect URL. A client that obtains and redeems a still-valid, unconsumed token before its first use can adopt the associated session, including through the passport-bridge cross-locale flow. This issue is fixed in ApostropheCMS 4.33.0 and passport-bridge 1.6.1.
**Summary** Apostrophe's cross-domain session migration emits a single-use session token as a URL query parameter and stores it in the Mongo cache. Any client that presents the token silently adopts the target user's full session (including `passport.user`) with no credentials. **Details** `packages/apostrophe/modules/@apostrophecms/i18n/index.js`: - Token generation on cross-host/locale flows (L479–487) and passport-bridge cross-locale redirect (`passport-bridge/index.js` L557–593) places the token in the URL. - `acceptCrossDomainSessionToken` (L258–298) reads `?aposCrossDomainSessionToken`, `Object.assign`s the stored session (cookie + `passport.user`) onto `req.session`, then nulls the cache entry under namespace `@apostrophecms/i18n:cross-domain-sessions`. - Middleware without `before:` is registered for every URL (express `findModuleMiddlewareAndRoutes` L820–879); verified with `APOS_LOG_ALL_ROUTES=1`. **PoC** ``` # 0) Anonymous baseline: admin-only draft → 403 # 1) Admin logs in legitimately (token minted into redirect URL): curl -c admin.cookies -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ --data '{"username":"admin","password":"adminpassword","session":true}' \ http://localhost:3100/api/v1/@apostrophecms/login/login # 2) Attacker with NO credentials visits the leaked token URL: curl -c atk.cookies "http://localhost:3100/?aposCrossDomainSessionToken=HUNTING_TOKEN" # → 302 Location: / ; attacker now holds a vulnlab.sid SID cookie # 3) Attacker reads admin-only content via adopted session: curl -b atk.cookies ".../api/v1/@apostrophecms/page/d576242ve1dkzb12jiiabujd:en:draft" # → 200 adopted-session read -> Secret Private Page | secretData = TOP-SECRET-VALUE-abc123 # 4) Cache entry consumed (single-use): {"value":null} ``` **Impact** Session hijack / account takeover of the migrated user for anyone who obtains the token, inheriting all the account's privileges. Exposure is realistic precisely because the token is in URLs: server/proxy/browser-access logs, browser history, and the Referer header when the destination host differs from the source (the intended use case). Single-use limits but does not remove the window. **Remediation** — Deliver the token via a short-lived HttpOnly signed SameSite cookie rather than a query parameter; bind consumption to the exact source/destination host pair, expire in seconds, and never log it.
**Summary** Apostrophe's cross-domain session migration emits a single-use session token as a URL query parameter and stores it in the Mongo cache. Any client that presents the token silently adopts the target user's full session (including `passport.user`) with no credentials. **Details** `packages/apostrophe/modules/@apostrophecms/i18n/index.js`: - Token generation on cross-host/locale flows (L479–487) and passport-bridge cross-locale redirect (`passport-bridge/index.js` L557–593) places the token in the URL. - `acceptCrossDomainSessionToken` (L258–298) reads `?aposCrossDomainSessionToken`, `Object.assign`s the stored session (cookie + `passport.user`) onto `req.session`, then nulls the cache entry under namespace `@apostrophecms/i18n:cross-domain-sessions`. - Middleware without `before:` is registered for every URL (express `findModuleMiddlewareAndRoutes` L820–879); verified with `APOS_LOG_ALL_ROUTES=1`. **PoC** ``` # 0) Anonymous baseline: admin-only draft → 403 # 1) Admin logs in legitimately (token minted into redirect URL): curl -c admin.cookies -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ --data '{"username":"admin","password":"adminpassword","session":true}' \ http://localhost:3100/api/v1/@apostrophecms/login/login # 2) Attacker with NO credentials visits the leaked token URL: curl -c atk.cookies "http://localhost:3100/?aposCrossDomainSessionToken=HUNTING_TOKEN" # → 302 Location: / ; attacker now holds a vulnlab.sid SID cookie # 3) Attacker reads admin-only content via adopted session: curl -b atk.cookies ".../api/v1/@apostrophecms/page/d576242ve1dkzb12jiiabujd:en:draft" # → 200 adopted-session read -> Secret Private Page | secretData = TOP-SECRET-VALUE-abc123 # 4) Cache entry consumed (single-use): {"value":null} ``` **Impact** Session hijack / account takeover of the migrated user for anyone who obtains the token, inheriting all the account's privileges. Exposure is realistic precisely because the token is in URLs: server/proxy/browser-access logs, browser history, and the Referer header when the destination host differs from the source (the intended use case). Single-use limits but does not remove the window. **Remediation** — Deliver the token via a short-lived HttpOnly signed SameSite cookie rather than a query parameter; bind consumption to the exact source/destination host pair, expire in seconds, and never log it.
| Version | Type | Source | Base | Exp | Impact | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0 | Primary | cve.org | 5.3 | — | — | CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N |
| 4.0 | Primary | cve.org | 5.3 | — | — |
| CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N |
| 4.0 | Secondary | GHSA | 5.3 | — | — | CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N |
| 4.0 | Secondary | ENISA EUVD | 5.3 | — | — | CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N |
| 4.0 | Secondary | NVD | 5.3 | — | — | CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X |