CVE-2005-2092 in WebLogic Server
Summary
by MITRE
BEA Systems WebLogic 8.1 SP1 allows remote attackers to poison the web cache, bypass web application firewall protection, and conduct XSS attacks via an HTTP request with both a "Transfer-Encoding: chunked" header and a Content-Length header, which causes WebLogic to incorrectly handle and forward the body of the request in a way that causes the receiving server to process it as a separate HTTP request, aka "HTTP Request Smuggling."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/23/2017
This vulnerability in BEA Systems WebLogic 8.1 SP1 represents a critical HTTP request smuggling flaw that exploits fundamental protocol handling inconsistencies in web server implementations. The vulnerability occurs when an HTTP request contains both a Transfer-Encoding: chunked header and a Content-Length header simultaneously, creating a conflict in how the server interprets the request body size and processing. This dual header scenario causes WebLogic to improperly parse the request, leading to a situation where the server processes the body content as if it were a separate HTTP request, fundamentally breaking the HTTP protocol boundaries that govern request handling and response processing.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability leverages the inconsistent behavior between different HTTP implementations in how they handle conflicting headers. When WebLogic receives a request with both headers, it processes the Content-Length header to determine the body size while simultaneously interpreting the Transfer-Encoding: chunked header, creating a parsing ambiguity that results in the server forwarding portions of the request body as if they were separate HTTP requests. This misinterpretation allows attackers to manipulate the server's request processing logic and inject malicious content that bypasses security controls designed to protect against cross-site scripting attacks and other web application threats.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple cache poisoning to encompass significant security implications including bypass of web application firewalls, unauthorized access to protected resources, and potential execution of malicious payloads through cross-site scripting vectors. Attackers can craft requests that appear legitimate to the firewall but contain malicious content that gets processed as separate requests, effectively circumventing security mechanisms that rely on proper HTTP request parsing. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations running BEA WebLogic 8.1 SP1 systems where web application firewalls and security controls are implemented, as the smuggling technique allows bypass of protections that would normally prevent XSS attacks and other malicious activities.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-444, which specifically addresses HTTP request smuggling issues arising from inconsistent handling of conflicting HTTP headers, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploiting weaknesses in web application platforms. Organizations using affected WebLogic versions face significant risk of data exposure, unauthorized system access, and potential compromise of entire web application infrastructures. The vulnerability demonstrates how fundamental protocol implementation flaws can create cascading security issues that bypass multiple layers of security controls, including web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems that rely on proper HTTP request interpretation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected WebLogic installations to versions that properly handle conflicting HTTP headers and implement proper request validation. Organizations should also implement network-level controls to prevent requests containing both Transfer-Encoding: chunked and Content-Length headers from reaching the application servers, while monitoring for suspicious request patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, security teams should review and update their web application firewall rules to detect and block malformed HTTP requests that exploit this specific vulnerability, ensuring that all systems handling HTTP traffic properly validate header consistency before processing request content.