open-telemetry / open-telemetry/opentelemetry-python-contrib
Flask vulnerable to possible disclosure of permanent session cookie due to missing Vary: Cookie header
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- Dominant language
- Python
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Description
When all of the following conditions are met, a response containing data intended for one client may be cached and subsequently sent by a proxy to other clients. If the proxy also caches Set-Cookie headers, it may send one client's session cookie to other clients. The severity depends on the application's use of the session, and the proxy's behavior regarding cookies. The risk depends on all these conditions being met.
The application must be hosted behind a caching proxy that does not strip cookies or ignore responses with cookies.
The application sets session.permanent = True.
The application does not access or modify the session at any point during a request.
SESSION_REFRESH_EACH_REQUEST is enabled (the default).
The application does not set a Cache-Control header to indicate that a page is private or should not be cached.
This happens because vulnerable versions of Flask only set the Vary: Cookie header when the session is accessed or modified, not when it is refreshed (re-sent to update the expiration) without being accessed or modified.
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start by reviewing the Flask session-refresh behavior described in the issue and identify the repository's Flask instrumentation entry point, if applicable. Check whether the affected scenario is covered by existing tests; done means the missing Vary: Cookie behavior is addressed for permanent-session refreshes without session access, with a regression test demonstrating it.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- flask, python
- Domain
- backend, security
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Quiet
- Clarity
- Needs clarification
- Newbie friendliness
- 35/100