CVE-2004-0715 in WebLogic
Summary
by MITRE
The WebLogic Authentication provider for BEA WebLogic Server and WebLogic Express 8.1 through SP2 and 7.0 through SP4 does not properly clear member relationships when a group is deleted, which can cause a new group with the same name to have the members of the old group, which allows group members to gain privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/12/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-0715 resides within the WebLogic Authentication provider component of BEA WebLogic Server and WebLogic Express versions 8.1 through SP2 and 7.0 through SP4. This security flaw represents a critical issue in the authentication and authorization mechanisms that govern user group membership within the application server environment. The vulnerability stems from improper memory management practices during group deletion operations, creating a persistent state that can be exploited by malicious actors to gain unauthorized privileges.
The technical flaw manifests when a group is deleted from the WebLogic authentication system, but the underlying member relationship mappings are not properly cleared from memory or database storage. This incomplete cleanup process leaves residual references to group members that persist even after the group itself has been removed from the system. When a new group is subsequently created with the same name as the previously deleted group, these lingering member references are inadvertently associated with the new group, effectively transferring all membership relationships from the old group to the new one. This behavior violates fundamental security principles of isolation and access control, as users who were members of the original group retain their access privileges through the new group's membership.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, creating a persistent backdoor that can be exploited across multiple sessions and system restarts. Attackers can leverage this flaw to gain unauthorized access to resources, data, and functionalities that should only be available to legitimate members of specific groups. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where dynamic group management occurs frequently, as the likelihood of encountering name collisions increases. This issue can be exploited to grant unauthorized users access to sensitive administrative functions, confidential data, or system resources that are protected by group-based access controls.
The security implications of CVE-2004-0715 align with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization in authentication systems, and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential stuffing attacks that exploit authentication system weaknesses. Organizations utilizing affected WebLogic versions face significant risk of privilege escalation attacks, where attackers can manipulate group membership relationships to bypass access controls. The vulnerability's persistence across system restarts and its potential for automated exploitation make it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where authentication and authorization are critical for maintaining security boundaries.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected WebLogic Server versions to the latest service packs that address the group deletion memory clearing issue. Organizations should implement comprehensive monitoring of group management operations to detect anomalous behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, security teams should establish strict controls over group naming conventions and implement regular audits of group membership relationships to identify potential instances of unauthorized privilege transfer. The remediation process must include thorough testing to ensure that group deletion operations properly clear all member relationships and that no residual references remain in the authentication system's memory or storage components.