CVE-2005-4705 in WebLogic Server
Summary
by MITRE
BEA WebLogic Server and WebLogic Express 8.1 through SP4, 7.0 through SP6, and 6.1 through SP7, when a Java client application creates an SSL connection to the server after it has already created an insecure connection, will use the insecure connection, which allows remote attackers to sniff the connection.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/22/2019
This vulnerability exists in BEA WebLogic Server and WebLogic Express versions 8.1 through SP4, 7.0 through SP6, and 6.1 through SP7, representing a critical security flaw in the SSL connection handling mechanism. The vulnerability stems from a design flaw where the server fails to properly enforce secure connections when a client application has previously established an insecure connection. This behavior creates a significant security risk as the system defaults to using the insecure connection even when a secure SSL connection is explicitly requested by the Java client application.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the server's connection management logic failing to properly validate or enforce SSL encryption when multiple connections are established sequentially. When a Java client first creates an insecure connection to the WebLogic server and subsequently attempts to establish an SSL connection, the server incorrectly reuses the insecure connection parameters instead of properly negotiating the secure SSL handshake. This flaw occurs due to improper state management in the connection handling code, where the server does not adequately distinguish between secure and insecure connection contexts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows remote attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks and eavesdrop on sensitive communications. Attackers can exploit this weakness to sniff and capture data transmitted over what should be secure SSL connections, potentially exposing confidential information such as user credentials, session tokens, and business data. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where WebLogic servers handle sensitive transactions and authentication processes, as it undermines the entire SSL/TLS security framework that organizations rely upon for protecting their data in transit.
This vulnerability maps to CWE-310 in the Common Weakness Enumeration, specifically addressing cryptographic issues related to improper use of encryption. The flaw also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046, which involves network service scanning and exploitation of service vulnerabilities, and T1566, which covers social engineering attacks that leverage system weaknesses. Organizations using affected WebLogic versions should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to patched versions, implementing network segmentation, and deploying additional monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of proper connection state management and encryption enforcement in enterprise application servers, particularly when handling sensitive data transmission scenarios.