[phplib] Security Risk: Session ID in server logs From: Michael A. Alderete (alderete <email protected>)
Date: 01/27/01

PHPLIB uses GET mode for a user's initial access of a PHPLIB site, and puts
the session ID into the URL of the first page a user accesses. If the user
has cookies enabled, PHPLIB will then switch to cookie mode, and not put
the session ID in URLs anymore. (Of course, if they continue in GET mode,
it continues to be used.)

However, even that initial exposure of the session ID is written into the
server log (at least it is in Apache). Here's an example from my own server
(session ID and IP fudged a tiny bit):

  216.11.222.333 - - [27/Jan/2001:13:42:57 -0800] \
  "GET /index.html?angst_sess=6309f1c1c6f8adfb9e366b1 HTTP/1.0" \
  200 3769 "-" "Mozilla/3.0 (PowerPC [en] Mac OS 9.1; Sun)"

This is a security risk, because a crafty user could use that information
to take over someone's session.

My question is, is there a way to disable the writing of the session ID
into server logs, such as Apache's?

I know how to change the permissions on the log file, and prevent them from
being world-readable. But that's just a band-aid; I'd rather eliminate the
security risk entirely, and not have the session ID showing up in my logs.

Thanks!

Michael 

-- 

Visit MARS! <http://www.michaelandrochellessite.com/>
---
Michael A. Alderete
<mailto:alderete <email protected>>          voice: (415) 861-5758

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