CVE-2004-2452 in Cosminexus Portal Framework
Summary
by MITRE
Unknown vulnerability in Hitachi Cosminexus Portal Framework 01-00, 01-01, 01-02, 02-01, 02-02, 02-03, and other versions allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information in the <ut:cache> tag library.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/19/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-2452 affects the Hitachi Cosminexus Portal Framework versions 01-00 through 02-03, representing a significant security flaw within the framework's tag library implementation. This issue specifically targets the <ut:cache> tag library component, which is designed to manage caching mechanisms for portal applications. The vulnerability exposes sensitive information through improper access controls within the caching subsystem, creating a potential avenue for unauthorized data disclosure.
The technical flaw resides in the inadequate implementation of access controls within the <ut:cache> tag library functionality. When the framework processes cached content, it fails to properly validate user permissions or implement appropriate security checks before exposing cached data to requesting clients. This weakness allows remote attackers to bypass normal access restrictions and retrieve cached information that should be protected or restricted to authorized users only. The vulnerability essentially enables information disclosure through the caching mechanism rather than through direct exploitation of application logic or database access points.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents a serious threat to portal security and data integrity. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness to access cached content that may contain sensitive user information, session data, or application-specific details that should remain confidential. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure as cached data often includes user credentials, personal information, or business-critical data that could be leveraged for further attacks. This vulnerability undermines the fundamental security assumptions of the portal framework and could lead to cascading security issues if the cached data contains authentication tokens or other sensitive elements.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses "Information Exposure," and represents a classic case of insufficient access control mechanisms. From an adversarial perspective, this weakness maps to ATT&CK technique T1213.002 for "Data from Information Repositories" and potentially T1566.001 for "Phishing" if the cached data includes authentication-related information. Organizations utilizing Hitachi Cosminexus Portal Framework across the affected versions should prioritize immediate remediation efforts, including applying vendor patches, implementing network segmentation, and conducting thorough security assessments of cached data content to identify and mitigate potential information exposure risks.
Mitigation strategies should include implementing strict access controls for cached content, reviewing and updating the <ut:cache> tag library configurations, and establishing monitoring mechanisms to detect unauthorized access attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security layers such as secure session management, proper input validation, and comprehensive logging of cache access patterns. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other framework components and ensure overall system integrity. The remediation process must include thorough testing to ensure that access control mechanisms are properly enforced without disrupting legitimate portal functionality.