CVE-2010-1454 in tc Server
Summary
by MITRE
com.springsource.tcserver.serviceability.rmi.JmxSocketListener in VMware SpringSource tc Server Runtime 6.0.19 and 6.0.20 before 6.0.20.D, and 6.0.25.A before 6.0.25.A-SR01, does not properly enforce the requirement for an encrypted (aka s2enc) password, which allows remote attackers to obtain JMX interface access via a blank password.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/30/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-1454 affects VMware SpringSource tc Server Runtime versions 6.0.19 and 6.0.20 before 6.0.20.D, as well as 6.0.25.A before 6.0.25.A-SR01. This issue resides within the com.springsource.tcserver.serviceability.rmi.JmxSocketListener component which handles remote management interface access. The flaw represents a critical security weakness that undermines the server's authentication mechanisms and allows unauthorized remote access to the JMX (Java Management Extensions) interface through a simple blank password attack.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper enforcement of encrypted password requirements within the JMX socket listener implementation. Specifically, the system fails to validate that passwords meet the required s2enc encryption standard before granting access to the JMX management interface. This weakness allows attackers to bypass authentication by simply providing a blank password, which the vulnerable system accepts as valid credentials. The vulnerability operates at the authentication layer and directly impacts the server's access control mechanisms, effectively creating a backdoor for remote attackers to gain administrative privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching for organizations running affected tc Server versions. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness to gain full administrative access to the JMX interface, which provides comprehensive monitoring and management capabilities for the application server. This access enables attackers to perform critical operations such as deploying malicious applications, modifying server configurations, accessing sensitive application data, and potentially escalating privileges to gain complete system control. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires no valid credentials to exploit, making it an attractive target for automated attacks and unauthorized access attempts.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues in software systems. The flaw also maps to ATT&CK technique T1078.004, which covers valid accounts used for lateral movement and privilege escalation. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches for tc Server versions 6.0.20.D and 6.0.25.A-SR01, disabling JMX interfaces when not required for operations, and implementing network segmentation to limit access to management interfaces. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unauthorized access attempts to JMX endpoints, and all remaining systems should undergo comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify similar authentication weaknesses. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper credential validation and encryption requirements in enterprise application servers, particularly those handling sensitive business-critical applications.