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Security Intermediate

What is Session Hijacking?

An attack where an adversary takes over a legitimate user session by stealing or predicting the session identifier.

Session hijacking occurs when an attacker obtains a valid session ID and uses it to impersonate the legitimate user. Attack vectors include network sniffing (intercepting unencrypted session cookies), XSS (JavaScript stealing cookies), session fixation (forcing a known session ID on the victim), and predicting weak session IDs. Prevention measures include HTTPS everywhere (encrypting cookies in transit), HttpOnly flag (preventing JavaScript access), Secure flag (cookies sent only over HTTPS), SameSite attribute (preventing CSRF), session regeneration after login, binding sessions to IP/user-agent, setting short session timeouts, and using cryptographically random session IDs.

Related Terms

Principle of Least Privilege
A security principle where users and programs receive only the minimum access rights needed to perform their specific tasks.
Vulnerability Scanning
Automated testing that identifies known security weaknesses in systems, applications, and network infrastructure.
Man-in-the-Middle Attack
An attack where the attacker secretly intercepts and potentially alters communication between two parties who believe they are communicating directly.
Zero Trust
A security model that requires strict identity verification for every user and device, regardless of their network location.
DAST (Dynamic Application Security Testing)
Testing a running application from the outside by sending malicious requests to discover security vulnerabilities.
Security Audit
A systematic examination of an information system to assess compliance with security policies, identify vulnerabilities, and verify controls.
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