CVE-2005-1746 in WebLogic Server
Summary
by MITRE
The cluster cookie parsing code in BEA WebLogic Server 7.0 through Service Pack 5 attempts to contact any host or port specified in a cookie, even when it is not in the cluster, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (cluster slowdown) via modified cookies.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1746 represents a significant security flaw in BEA WebLogic Server versions 7.0 through Service Pack 5, specifically within the cluster cookie parsing functionality. This issue stems from insufficient validation of cluster membership information contained within cookies, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate the server's cluster communication behavior. The flaw operates at the application layer of the network stack, affecting the server's ability to maintain proper cluster integrity and performance.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the cluster cookie parsing code executing network connection attempts to hosts and ports specified within manipulated cookie values without proper verification of cluster membership status. When a malicious user crafts a cookie containing invalid or unauthorized host/port combinations, the WebLogic Server processes these values as legitimate cluster members, attempting to establish connections to non-existent or unauthorized endpoints. This behavior creates a denial of service condition where legitimate cluster operations become degraded due to excessive connection attempts and resource consumption.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables remote attackers to cause significant disruption to cluster performance through what is essentially a resource exhaustion attack. The server's cluster slowdown occurs as it attempts to contact hosts that are not part of the legitimate cluster configuration, consuming network resources, processing cycles, and potentially triggering cascading failures in cluster communication. This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-20, which addresses improper input validation, and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network disruption and resource consumption attacks.
The attack vector requires minimal privileges as the vulnerability can be exploited through manipulation of HTTP cookies, making it particularly dangerous in environments where cookie-based authentication or session management is utilized. The impact extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially compromising the stability and availability of entire clustered applications. Organizations running WebLogic Server in clustered configurations face increased risk of service degradation and potential complete cluster failure when this vulnerability is exploited.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper input validation for cluster cookie values, restricting cluster communication to predefined authorized endpoints, and applying the appropriate service pack updates provided by BEA to address this specific vulnerability. Network-level protections such as firewall rules and intrusion detection systems can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing cookie validation mechanisms that verify cluster membership status before processing cluster-related cookie information, aligning with security best practices outlined in NIST SP 800-53 and ISO/IEC 27001 standards for secure application development and deployment.