CVE-2011-0679 in WebSphere
Summary
by MITRE
IBM WebSphere Portal 6.0.1.1 through 7.0.0.0, as used in IBM Lotus Web Content Management (WCM) and IBM Lotus Quickr for WebSphere Portal, allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via a "modified message."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2024
IBM WebSphere Portal versions 6.0.1.1 through 7.0.0.0 contain a sensitive data exposure vulnerability that affects IBM Lotus Web Content Management and IBM Lotus Quickr for WebSphere Portal implementations. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the portal's message processing framework, allowing remote attackers to manipulate message parameters and gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. The flaw exists in the way the system handles serialized message objects, where modified message payloads can bypass security checks and reveal internal system details, user credentials, or administrative information. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses information exposure through improper error handling, and represents a classic example of insufficient input validation that enables attackers to extract confidential data from the application layer. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specially formatted message requests that manipulate the portal's internal state or data structures, potentially leading to information disclosure that could facilitate further attacks. The impact extends beyond simple data leakage as the vulnerability can expose system internals that may aid in privilege escalation or lateral movement within the affected environment. This type of vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK technique T1213.002 for Data from Information Repositories, where adversaries extract sensitive information from application systems. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require physical access or local system privileges to leverage the flaw, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where the portal is accessible to unauthenticated users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the portal's message handling subsystem where serialized objects are processed without adequate validation of their contents. When a modified message is received, the system fails to properly sanitize or validate the input parameters, allowing malicious payloads to be interpreted by the application. This processing failure occurs during the deserialization phase, where the system attempts to reconstruct object state from the message data. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited through standard network communication channels, requiring no specialized tools or privileged access. The affected versions of IBM WebSphere Portal do not implement proper access controls or input filtering for message parameters, creating an attack surface where unauthorized information retrieval becomes possible. The flaw demonstrates poor security design principles where the system assumes that all incoming messages are legitimate and properly formatted, without implementing defensive measures such as parameter validation, content filtering, or access control checks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends to both confidentiality and potential system integrity compromise within affected IBM WebSphere Portal deployments. Organizations running vulnerable versions face risks of unauthorized data access, including but not limited to user session information, administrative credentials, system configuration details, and potentially sensitive business data stored within the portal environment. The vulnerability can be particularly damaging in enterprise environments where WebSphere Portal serves as a central hub for content management and collaboration services. Attackers leveraging this weakness could potentially gain insights into the internal structure of the portal system, user access patterns, or administrative procedures that could be used for more sophisticated attacks. The information disclosure could also facilitate credential stuffing attacks or social engineering efforts, as the leaked data might include patterns or details that help attackers impersonate legitimate users or administrators. This vulnerability represents a significant risk to organizations that rely on IBM Lotus Web Content Management and Quickr for their collaborative and content management needs, potentially exposing sensitive corporate information to external threat actors.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant IBM security patches and updates released for this vulnerability, which typically address the input validation and message processing flaws. System administrators should also consider implementing network-level controls such as firewalls and access control lists to restrict access to WebSphere Portal services, particularly limiting exposure to untrusted networks or users. Additional defensive measures include enabling detailed logging and monitoring of message processing activities to detect anomalous behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The implementation of proper input validation controls, including parameter sanitization and content filtering, should be enforced at multiple levels within the application architecture. Organizations should also review and strengthen their overall security posture by implementing principle of least privilege access controls, regular security assessments, and vulnerability scanning procedures. These mitigations align with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for Phishing and T1595.001 for Network Denial of Service, as the vulnerability can be exploited through network-based attacks and requires comprehensive defensive strategies. Regular security training for administrators and developers on secure coding practices is essential to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future implementations, particularly focusing on proper input validation and secure message handling protocols.