Software Engineering Institute

As described in the Slashcode FAQ, "Slash is a database-driven news and message board, using Perl, Apache and MySQL." Slash allows web site maintainers to create a custom bulletin board site using the same technology as the popular website Slashdot.

Slash-based bulletin boards provide a "quick login" feature that allows users to bookmark a pre-formatted URL containing their account username and password. For users who are either unable or unwilling to store their session information in a cookie, this feature allows logins without the need to type a username and password. However, because the authentication information is contained within the URL, it may be disclosed to other sites. In particular, when users visit a link from the bulletin board to an external site, their login information may be passed via the HTTP Referer header.

This vulnerability causes bulletin board account information to be disclosed in HTTP GET requests and Referer headers.

The CERT/CC is currently unaware of a practical solution to this problem.

Use session cookies

Slash provides users with the option to maintain a persistent login session by storing authentication information within their web browsers. Using this option in lieu of the "quick login" feature will prevent username and password information from being disclosed in HTTP Referer headers.