CVE-2005-4833 in WebSphere Application Server
Summary
by MITRE
IBM WebSphere Application Server (WAS) 6.0 before 20050201, when serving pages in an Application WAR or an Extended Document Root, allows remote attackers to obtain the JSP source code and other sensitive information via "a specific JSP URL," related to lack of normalization of the URL format.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/04/2019
IBM WebSphere Application Server version 6.0 prior to 20050201 contains a critical information disclosure vulnerability that stems from insufficient URL normalization mechanisms within the web server's request processing pipeline. This vulnerability specifically affects applications deployed in either Application WAR files or Extended Document Root configurations where the server fails to properly normalize incoming Uniform Resource Locator requests before processing them. The flaw allows remote attackers to craft malicious URL requests that bypass normal access controls and reveal sensitive information including JSP source code, configuration files, and other potentially harmful data that should remain protected within the application's security boundaries. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-174 which specifically addresses the lack of proper input normalization and sanitization, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited without requiring authentication or elevated privileges. The attack vector operates through carefully constructed URL sequences that exploit the server's inability to properly canonicalize paths, allowing adversaries to traverse directory structures and access files that should be restricted to authorized users only.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when the WebSphere Application Server receives a malformed URL that includes directory traversal sequences such as double dots or encoded path separators that are not properly normalized before the server attempts to resolve and serve the requested resource. When processing requests in Application WAR or Extended Document Root environments, the server's URL parsing mechanism fails to adequately sanitize the incoming request paths, allowing attackers to manipulate the request structure to access files outside the intended application boundaries. This normalization failure creates a path traversal condition where the server resolves the request to a location that contains sensitive information, including the actual JSP source code which can be retrieved as plain text. The vulnerability specifically impacts the server's internal request handling logic, where the URL normalization process should have occurred but did not, leading to a direct information disclosure that violates fundamental security principles of access control and data protection.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the exposure of JSP source code provides attackers with detailed insights into the application's implementation logic, database connection strings, and other sensitive configuration details that could be leveraged for further exploitation. This vulnerability essentially allows attackers to perform reconnaissance activities without requiring any authentication, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where sensitive business logic and data access patterns are exposed. The vulnerability affects the server's core functionality of serving web content and can be exploited across all applications deployed within the affected WebSphere instance, potentially compromising multiple applications simultaneously. The impact is further amplified by the fact that this vulnerability can be exploited remotely without any prior access to the system, making it an attractive target for automated scanning tools and malicious actors seeking to identify and exploit weaknesses in enterprise web applications. Organizations running affected versions of IBM WebSphere Application Server are at significant risk of exposure to attacks that could lead to complete application compromise or data breaches.
Organizations should immediately apply the security patch released by IBM for WebSphere Application Server version 6.0, specifically addressing the URL normalization issue that enables this vulnerability. The patch implements proper URL canonicalization and normalization mechanisms that ensure all incoming requests are properly sanitized before being processed by the server's resource resolution logic. Additionally, administrators should implement network-level controls such as web application firewalls and access control lists to limit access to potentially vulnerable endpoints. The vulnerability can be mitigated through proper URL validation and normalization within the application server configuration, with recommendations aligning with ATT&CK technique T1566 which addresses the exploitation of vulnerabilities in web applications through path traversal and information disclosure attacks. Security teams should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any other potential path traversal vulnerabilities within their web application infrastructure, as this represents a class of vulnerability that can affect multiple components within enterprise web architectures. The implementation of proper input validation and URL normalization should be considered a critical security control that aligns with industry standards and best practices for protecting web applications from information disclosure attacks.