CVE-2007-0420 in WebLogic Server
Summary
by MITRE
BEA WebLogic Server 9.0, 9.1, and 9.2 Gold allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via malformed HTTP requests, which reveal data from previous requests.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/22/2019
BEA WebLogic Server versions 9.0, 9.1, and 9.2 contained a critical information disclosure vulnerability that enabled remote attackers to access sensitive data from previous HTTP requests through carefully crafted malformed requests. This vulnerability stems from improper handling of HTTP request processing within the server's protocol implementation, creating a scenario where request buffers or state information from one transaction could leak into subsequent requests. The flaw represents a classic case of information exposure through improper request handling and falls under the CWE-200 category of "Information Exposure" with specific implications for HTTP protocol state management. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability by sending malformed HTTP requests that would cause the server to return data from previous requests, potentially exposing session information, user credentials, or other sensitive application data that should remain isolated between individual transactions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs at the HTTP request processing layer where WebLogic Server fails to properly clear or isolate request state information between individual HTTP transactions. When malformed requests are processed, the server's internal buffer management or request parsing logic does not adequately reset or sanitize state variables that should be cleared after each request completion. This creates a condition where memory or data structures containing information from previous requests remain accessible to subsequent requests, effectively enabling a form of request replay or data leakage. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the protocol level rather than application level, making it difficult to detect through standard application security controls and potentially affecting all applications deployed on the affected WebLogic Server versions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to create potential risks for authentication bypass, session hijacking, and credential theft across multiple applications hosted on the affected server instances. Attackers could potentially reconstruct session tokens, user credentials, or other sensitive data that should be isolated between different user sessions, leading to unauthorized access to protected resources and applications. The vulnerability affects organizations using BEA WebLogic Server 9.0, 9.1, and 9.2 in production environments where sensitive data processing occurs, particularly in financial services, healthcare, and government sectors where data isolation and confidentiality are paramount. This weakness creates a persistent threat that could remain undetected for extended periods, as the information leakage occurs during normal HTTP request processing and may not trigger obvious error conditions that would alert administrators to the compromise.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches and updates for WebLogic Server versions 9.0, 9.1, and 9.2 to address the root cause of the information disclosure vulnerability. Network-level protections such as intrusion detection systems and web application firewalls should be configured to monitor for and block malformed HTTP requests that could exploit this vulnerability. Additionally, security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of all WebLogic Server instances to identify potential exposure and implement proper request isolation mechanisms. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) and T1566 (Phishing) as attackers could use the leaked information to craft more sophisticated attacks, while the CWE classification of 200 emphasizes the importance of proper information handling and isolation in web server implementations. Organizations should also consider implementing request validation mechanisms and regular security monitoring to detect anomalous request patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts.