CVE-2004-0711 in WebLogic
Summary
by MITRE
The URL pattern matching feature in BEA WebLogic Server 6.x matches illegal patterns ending in "*" as wildcards as if they were the legal "/*" pattern, which could cause WebLogic 7.x to allow remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions because the illegal patterns are properly rejected.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/20/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-0711 represents a critical access control flaw within BEA WebLogic Server versions 6.x and 7.x that stems from improper URL pattern matching implementation. This issue specifically affects the server's security mechanism that governs how URL patterns are interpreted and validated for access control purposes. The flaw manifests when the server processes URL patterns that end with a single asterisk character, which should be considered invalid or illegal patterns according to standard web server security practices. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic case of improper input validation where the system fails to distinguish between legitimate wildcard patterns and maliciously crafted invalid patterns that could be exploited to circumvent security controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs at the URL pattern matching layer within WebLogic Server's security framework. When the server encounters a URL pattern ending in a single asterisk, it incorrectly processes this as a valid wildcard pattern equivalent to the legitimate "/*" pattern used for directory matching. This misinterpretation arises from the server's pattern matching algorithm not properly validating the syntax of URL patterns before applying access control rules. The flaw essentially creates a loophole where attackers can craft malicious URL patterns that bypass intended security restrictions, allowing unauthorized access to protected resources that should only be accessible to authorized users or specific client groups. This represents a fundamental breakdown in the principle of least privilege and proper access control enforcement.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it enables remote attackers to bypass access restrictions that are critical for protecting sensitive web applications and data within the WebLogic Server environment. Attackers can exploit this flaw to gain unauthorized access to restricted resources, potentially leading to data breaches, system compromise, or unauthorized modification of web applications. The vulnerability affects both WebLogic Server 6.x and 7.x versions, indicating it was a persistent issue that required multiple version updates to address properly. This type of vulnerability directly violates the security principle that access control mechanisms should properly validate all inputs and reject invalid patterns to prevent exploitation. The impact extends beyond simple unauthorized access as it can enable further attacks such as privilege escalation, data exfiltration, or service disruption when combined with other vulnerabilities.
The root cause of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for phishing attacks that may leverage such access control bypasses. Organizations using affected WebLogic Server versions should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches from BEA, configuring strict URL pattern validation rules, and implementing additional security monitoring to detect anomalous access patterns. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be enforced to limit access to WebLogic Server instances, while regular security audits should verify that URL patterns are properly configured and validated. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper input validation in security-critical systems and demonstrates how seemingly minor implementation flaws in pattern matching logic can have major security implications for enterprise web applications.