CVE-2008-4111 in WebSphere Application Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Servlet Engine/Web Container in IBM WebSphere Application Server (WAS) 6.0.2 before 6.0.2.31 and 6.1 before 6.1.0.19, when the FileServing feature is enabled, has unknown impact and attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-4111 affects IBM WebSphere Application Server versions 6.0.2 prior to 6.0.2.31 and 6.1 prior to 6.1.0.19 when the FileServing feature is enabled. This represents a critical security flaw within the servlet engine and web container components of the application server platform that has remained unspecified in terms of its exact nature and attack vectors. The vulnerability resides in the core web container functionality that processes HTTP requests and serves web content, making it a fundamental component of the server's security posture. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability classification suggests that IBM was unable to fully characterize the scope and impact at the time of disclosure, indicating a potentially serious security weakness that could be exploited by malicious actors.
The technical flaw manifests within the FileServing feature implementation that handles file access and retrieval operations within the web container environment. When this feature is enabled, it creates a potential attack surface that allows unauthorized access to sensitive files and system resources through the servlet engine. The vulnerability's location within the web container architecture means that it could potentially be exploited through HTTP requests that manipulate file access parameters or through direct manipulation of the file serving mechanisms. This type of vulnerability typically falls under the category of improper access control or path traversal issues that are commonly classified as CWE-22 (Path Traversal) or CWE-23 (Relative Path Traversal) in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog. The attack vectors remain unspecified, but such vulnerabilities in web containers typically involve manipulation of file paths, directory traversal attempts, or exploitation of improper input validation mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it could potentially allow attackers to access sensitive application files, configuration data, or system resources that should remain protected. The web container's role in processing user requests makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous since it could be exploited through standard web traffic without requiring elevated privileges. Attackers could potentially leverage this weakness to retrieve application source code, configuration files containing database credentials, or other sensitive data that would normally be protected by proper access controls. The unspecified impact suggests that the vulnerability could potentially allow for more severe consequences such as remote code execution or privilege escalation, though the exact scope remains undetermined. Organizations running affected versions of WebSphere Application Server face significant risk exposure, particularly those with publicly accessible web applications that utilize the FileServing feature.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patch application to the affected IBM WebSphere Application Server versions, specifically upgrading to the patched releases 6.0.2.31 and 6.1.0.19 or later. Organizations should also implement network-level restrictions to limit access to the FileServing feature and consider disabling it entirely if not required for business operations. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by configuring proper access controls and implementing web application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious requests. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous file access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any other potentially affected components within their WebSphere environments and ensure that proper input validation is implemented throughout the application stack. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213 (Data from Information Repositories) and T1071.004 (Application Layer Protocol: DNS) when considering the potential for data exfiltration and network-based exploitation vectors. Regular security updates and vulnerability management processes should be implemented to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future, particularly given the historical context of IBM WebSphere's security track record during this period.