CVE-2007-3397 in WebSphere Application Server
Summary
by MITRE
The web container in IBM WebSphere Application Server (WAS) before 6.0.2.21, and 6.1.x before 6.1.0.9, sends response data intended for a different request in certain circumstances after a closed connection error, which might allow remote attackers to obtain sensitive information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/07/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-3397 affects IBM WebSphere Application Server versions prior to specific patch levels, representing a critical information disclosure flaw within the web container component. This vulnerability manifests when the application server encounters closed connection errors and subsequently sends response data that was originally intended for a different request. The flaw essentially creates a scenario where response data becomes misdirected, potentially exposing sensitive information that should remain isolated to specific client sessions or requests. The issue stems from improper handling of connection state management within the web container's response processing mechanism, where the server fails to properly validate or discard response data associated with previously closed connections.
This vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically impacts the web container's ability to maintain proper request-response correlation during connection lifecycle management. When a connection is closed prematurely or encounters an error condition, the web container should properly clean up or discard any pending response data associated with that connection. However, in affected versions of IBM WebSphere Application Server, this cleanup process fails, allowing response data to be transmitted to unintended recipients. The flaw can be exploited by remote attackers who can manipulate connection states to trigger the misbehavior, potentially gaining access to sensitive information belonging to other users or sessions. This represents a classic case of improper resource management and state handling that violates fundamental security principles of isolation and data protection.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can lead to serious security consequences including session hijacking, credential exposure, and unauthorized access to protected resources. Attackers can leverage this flaw to obtain sensitive data such as user session tokens, authentication credentials, personal information, or business-critical data that should remain isolated to specific authenticated sessions. The vulnerability affects the integrity of the application server's security model by breaking the expected isolation between different client requests and connections. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and CWE-352 (Cross-Site Request Forgery) categories, as it enables unauthorized data access through improper handling of connection states. The flaw also maps to ATT&CK technique T1566 (Phishing) and T1071.004 (Application Layer Protocol: DNS) when attackers use connection manipulation techniques to exploit the misbehavior.
Organizations running affected IBM WebSphere Application Server versions face significant risk exposure, particularly in environments handling sensitive data or serving multiple concurrent users. The vulnerability can be particularly dangerous in financial services, healthcare, or government sectors where data protection regulations such as PCI DSS, HIPAA, or GDPR compliance are critical. The exploitation requires minimal privileges and can be automated, making it attractive to threat actors seeking to harvest sensitive information. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching to the recommended IBM WebSphere Application Server versions 6.0.2.21 and 6.1.0.9, along with implementing additional network-level protections such as connection monitoring and anomaly detection systems. Organizations should also review their connection handling logic and implement proper connection state validation procedures to prevent similar issues in custom applications. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify potential similar flaws in the application stack, while network segmentation and access controls can help limit the impact if exploitation occurs.