CVE-2009-2750 in WebSphere Service Registry
Summary
by MITRE
IBM WebSphere Service Registry and Repository (WSRR) 6.3.0 before FP2 does not have the intended configuration properties, which allows remote authenticated users to obtain unspecified data access via a property query.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/30/2026
IBM WebSphere Service Registry and Repository version 6.3.0 before fix pack 2 contains a security vulnerability that stems from insufficient configuration properties within the system's access control mechanisms. This flaw affects the authentication and authorization components that govern how the service registry handles property queries from authenticated users. The vulnerability arises from the absence of proper security configurations that should normally enforce strict access controls on sensitive data elements within the repository. Attackers who have valid authentication credentials can exploit this weakness to perform unauthorized data access operations through crafted property query requests that bypass intended security boundaries. The unspecified nature of the accessible data indicates that the vulnerability could potentially expose various types of sensitive information including service metadata, registry configurations, or business-critical data elements stored within the WSRR system. This represents a significant security gap in the product's access control implementation that directly violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and data protection.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a failure in the system's security configuration management processes, where essential access control parameters were either omitted or improperly configured during the product deployment. The flaw specifically manifests when authenticated users submit property query requests that should normally be filtered and restricted based on user permissions and data sensitivity levels. This issue falls under the category of inadequate access control as classified by CWE-284, which addresses improper access control mechanisms that allow unauthorized access to resources. The vulnerability enables what is essentially a privilege escalation attack vector where legitimate users can access data beyond their intended authorization scope. From an operational perspective, this weakness creates a persistent risk that could allow attackers to gather intelligence about the organization's service registry infrastructure, potentially leading to more sophisticated attacks against the broader enterprise ecosystem.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure to encompass potential operational disruption and business continuity risks. Organizations relying on WSRR for critical service management operations may face unauthorized access to service definitions, endpoint information, and registry metadata that could be leveraged for further attacks against the enterprise network. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require physical access to the system, and the authenticated user requirement reduces the attack surface while still maintaining a significant risk level. This weakness could facilitate reconnaissance activities where attackers gather information about service dependencies, integration points, and business processes that are documented within the registry. The lack of proper configuration properties also suggests potential issues with audit logging and monitoring capabilities that should normally track and report unauthorized access attempts. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation through unauthorized access to system resources. Organizations should immediately implement the available fix pack 2 to address this configuration gap and conduct comprehensive security assessments of their WSRR deployments to identify any additional misconfigurations that might exist.
The remediation approach for this vulnerability focuses primarily on applying the official IBM fix pack 2 that addresses the missing configuration properties. Security administrators should also review and validate the current access control settings within the WSRR environment to ensure that proper authorization mechanisms are in place. Additional security measures including enhanced monitoring of property query operations, implementation of network segmentation, and regular security assessments can help mitigate the risk while the primary fix is being deployed. Organizations should also consider implementing additional logging and alerting mechanisms to detect unusual access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper security configuration management and the need for regular security assessments of enterprise software deployments. This case demonstrates how seemingly minor configuration gaps can create significant security risks and emphasizes the critical role of timely patch management in maintaining enterprise security posture.