CWE-613: Insufficient Session Expiration (Supplement)

This is supplemental information to CWE-613: Insufficient Session Expiration.

Under Common Consequences:
Scope: Access Control
Effect: Technical Impact: Permanent session hijacking

Under Demonstrative Examples:
Example 2:
The following example is similar to how Ruby on Rails’ CookieStore session storage mechanism works. The entire session object is sent to the Web browser, not just a session identifier linked to a backend session store, meaning that the session credential cannot be revoked.
Code: Ruby

 CGI.escape(Base64.encode64(Marshal.dump(session_hash)))

Under Potential Mitigations/Phase: Implementation:
Ensure expiration time cannot be tampered with when entrusted to the client–In the case of a cookie-based session storage mechanism, ensure the expiration time is absolute (cannot be kept alive) and is contained within the values signed by the application secret token. Additionally, the use of SSL, as well as ‘HttpOnly’ and ‘secure’ cookie attributes, will better protect the session cookie both while in transit and at rest on the client device.

Under Other Notes:
A cookie-based session storage mechanism may prohibit the ability for the user to terminate sessions active with other devices.

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