CVE-2010-3271 in WebSphere Application Server
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in the Integrated Solutions Console (aka administrative console) in IBM WebSphere Application Server (WAS) 7.0.0.13 and earlier allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that disable certain security options via an Edit action to console/adminSecurityDetail.do followed by a save action to console/syncworkspace.do.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/21/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-3271 represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within IBM WebSphere Application Server's Integrated Solutions Console. This security weakness exists in versions 7.0.0.13 and earlier, specifically targeting the administrative console interface that administrators use to manage server configurations. The flaw allows remote attackers to manipulate administrative sessions through carefully crafted malicious requests that exploit the console's lack of proper CSRF protection mechanisms. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it targets the security-sensitive administrative functions of the application server, potentially enabling attackers to compromise the entire server infrastructure through unauthorized configuration changes.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of anti-CSRF tokens or other validation mechanisms in the affected console endpoints. When administrators perform actions through the console interface, particularly the Edit action to console/adminSecurityDetail.do followed by a save action to console/syncworkspace.do, the system fails to verify that these requests originate from legitimate administrative sessions. This absence of session validation allows attackers to construct malicious web pages or exploit existing user sessions to execute unauthorized administrative commands without proper authentication. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and leverages the trust relationship between the web browser and the application server, making it particularly difficult to detect and prevent through traditional network-based security measures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it provides attackers with the capability to disable critical security options within the WebSphere Application Server environment. Successful exploitation could result in complete administrative control over the server, enabling attackers to modify security policies, disable monitoring features, and potentially gain access to sensitive data stored within the application server. The attack vector requires only that an administrator visits a malicious website while authenticated to the console, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrators frequently access web applications. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses, and represents a significant risk to organizations relying on WebSphere Application Server for mission-critical applications.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant IBM security patches and updates released for WebSphere Application Server 7.0.0.13 and earlier versions. Additionally, implementing proper CSRF token validation mechanisms within the application console would provide defense-in-depth against similar vulnerabilities. Network segmentation and monitoring of administrative console access patterns can help detect potential exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and credential access, specifically targeting the T1078 and T1566 tactics. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious administrative requests, and establish strict access controls for administrative interfaces to limit exposure to unauthorized users. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in other enterprise applications.