CVE-2006-2462 in WebLogic Server
Summary
by MITRE
BEA WebLogic Server 8.1 before Service Pack 4 and 7.0 before Service Pack 6, may send sensitive data over non-secure channels when using JTA transactions, which allows remote attackers to read potentially sensitive network traffic.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/22/2019
BEA WebLogic Server versions 8.1 prior to Service Pack 4 and 9.0 prior to Service Pack 6 contain a significant security flaw that compromises data confidentiality during JTA transaction processing. This vulnerability stems from the server's improper handling of secure communication channels when executing distributed transactions, creating an attack surface where sensitive information can be intercepted by unauthorized parties. The flaw specifically affects the server's transaction management capabilities, particularly when utilizing Java Transaction API implementations that fail to enforce proper encryption protocols.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the server's transaction coordinator component failing to establish secure communication channels for sensitive transaction data. When JTA transactions are processed, the system may transmit sensitive information over unencrypted connections, exposing credentials, session data, and other confidential transactional information to network sniffing attacks. This behavior violates fundamental security principles for secure communications and represents a clear deviation from established security standards such as those outlined in CWE-319, which addresses the exposure of sensitive information through improper channel usage. The vulnerability essentially allows attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks against transactional communications, potentially gaining access to authentication tokens, database connection details, and other critical system information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can enable attackers to escalate privileges and compromise entire transactional systems. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness to capture sensitive data flowing through the WebLogic server's transaction processing framework, potentially leading to unauthorized access to backend databases, session hijacking, and other advanced attack scenarios. This vulnerability particularly affects enterprise environments where WebLogic servers handle financial transactions, user authentication, and other sensitive business processes. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it requires no local access or authentication, making it exploitable by any network-based attacker with access to the affected network segments.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant service packs that address this vulnerability, configuring secure communication protocols for transactional services, and implementing network segmentation to limit exposure. The recommended approach involves enabling SSL/TLS encryption for all transactional communications and ensuring that JTA transaction managers enforce secure channel usage. Security professionals should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect potential data interception attempts and establish proper access controls for transactional services. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1041, which covers data compression and encoding methods used for exfiltration, as the sensitive data transmission occurs over insecure channels that attackers can monitor. Additionally, the flaw demonstrates characteristics of CWE-310, which addresses cryptographic weaknesses, as the system fails to properly implement secure communication protocols for sensitive data transmission during transaction processing.