CVE-2005-1745 in WebLogic Server
Summary
by MITRE
the userlogin control in bea weblogic portal 8.1 through service pack 3 prints the password to standard output when an incorrect login attempt is made which could make it easier for attackers to guess the correct password.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/12/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1745 represents a critical security flaw in BEA WebLogic Portal 8.1 through service pack 3 where the userlogin control inadvertently exposes password information through standard output during failed authentication attempts. This design flaw fundamentally undermines the security posture of the application by providing attackers with direct access to password data that should remain confidential during authentication processes. The issue stems from improper error handling mechanisms within the authentication subsystem that fail to sanitize output streams when login credentials are rejected.
This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-209, which specifically addresses "Information Exposure Through an Error Message" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1110.001 for "Brute Force: Password Guessing" as it provides attackers with immediate feedback about password validity. The flaw creates an information disclosure scenario where attackers can systematically test multiple password combinations while receiving real-time confirmation of which characters or patterns are correct, dramatically reducing the time and effort required for successful credential compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple password exposure to encompass broader security implications for enterprise environments utilizing WebLogic Portal. Organizations running affected versions face increased risk of unauthorized access to sensitive corporate data, potential lateral movement within networks, and compliance violations related to data protection regulations. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in environments where users employ predictable password patterns or reuse credentials across multiple systems, as the exposed information enables more sophisticated attack vectors including credential stuffing and targeted password guessing campaigns.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-1745 should prioritize immediate implementation of the vendor-provided patches and service packs that address the specific authentication error handling flaw. Organizations must also implement additional defensive measures including disabling verbose error messages in production environments, implementing account lockout mechanisms after failed attempts, and deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for unusual authentication patterns. Security configurations should be reviewed to ensure that error messages do not contain sensitive information and that authentication systems provide generic failure responses regardless of whether the username or password is incorrect. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to verify that similar information disclosure vulnerabilities do not exist in other components of the WebLogic Portal ecosystem.