Session Hijacking Definition:
Session Hijacking is an attack where an attacker takes over a valid session established between a user and a Web Server, allowing them to gain unauthorised access to the user’s account and data. This attack Exploits vulnerabilities in Session Management to steal or manipulate Session Tokens, effectively impersonating the legitimate user.
What is Session Hijacking?
Session Hijacking occurs when an attacker intercepts or predicts a session token used to authenticate and maintain communication between a user and a server. Common attack vectors include stealing Session Tokens through network sniffing, Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), or other methods. Once the attacker has the session token, they can impersonate the victim and access their data and privileges.
Why is Session Hijacking important?
The purpose of Session Hijacking is to gain unauthorised access to a user’s session, potentially allowing attackers to steal sensitive data, perform unauthorised actions, or escalate privileges. This type of attack is particularly dangerous in web applications, as Session Tokens often represent a user’s authenticated state and access rights.
How does Session Hijacking work?
Session Hijacking is executed by capturing or manipulating Session Tokens. Attackers may use techniques like network sniffing to intercept unencrypted tokens, XSS to steal tokens via malicious scripts, or session fixation attacks to force a user to use a known session ID. Once the token is obtained, the attacker can use it to impersonate the victim and access their session.
Session Hijacking Examples:
Examples of Session Hijacking include an attacker using packet-sniffing tools on an unsecured Wi-Fi network to capture Session Tokens from users accessing web services, or an XSS attack where malicious scripts extract Session Tokens from a victim’s browser. These tokens can then be used to access the victim’s accounts and data.
Session Hijacking Issues:
Defending against Session Hijacking requires robust Session Management practices, such as using HTTPS to encrypt data in transit, implementing secure Session Tokens with limited lifespans, and using anti-XSS protections. Security measures like multi-factor Authentication (MFA) and monitoring for unusual session activity also help mitigate the risk of Session Hijacking.
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