CVE-2012-4834 in WebSphere
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in LayerLoader.jsp in the theme component in IBM WebSphere Portal 7.0.0.1 and 7.0.0.2 before CF19 and 8.0 before CF03 allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via a crafted URI.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/19/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-4834 represents a critical directory traversal flaw within the theme component of IBM WebSphere Portal versions 7.0.0.1 and 7.0.0.2 before CF19 and 8.0 before CF03. This weakness exists in the LayerLoader.jsp file which processes user-supplied URI parameters without adequate input validation or sanitization. The vulnerability enables remote attackers to manipulate file paths and access arbitrary files on the underlying file system through carefully crafted malicious URIs.
This directory traversal vulnerability maps directly to CWE-22, which categorizes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks. The flaw occurs when the application fails to properly validate and sanitize user input before using it in file system operations. In the context of IBM WebSphere Portal, the LayerLoader.jsp component processes theme-related requests and fails to adequately restrict the URI parameters that can be used to reference files within the portal's file structure. Attackers can exploit this by constructing malicious URIs that contain sequences like "../" to navigate upward in the directory hierarchy and access files outside the intended theme directories.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows attackers to read sensitive files that may contain configuration data, credentials, application source code, or other confidential information. Remote attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to the file system and potentially escalate privileges or extract valuable data from the web application server. The attack vector requires no authentication and can be executed through standard web browser requests, making it particularly dangerous for publicly accessible portal systems. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1083, which describes the discovery of files and directories, and T1566, which covers the initial access phase through malicious file delivery or exploitation of web application vulnerabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-4834 should include applying the relevant IBM security fixes and cumulative fixes for WebSphere Portal versions 7.0.0.1 through 7.0.0.2 and 8.0 before CF03. Organizations should implement input validation and sanitization measures to prevent malicious URI sequences from being processed by the LayerLoader.jsp component. The recommended approach involves implementing strict path validation that ensures all file access operations occur within predefined safe directories and reject any requests containing directory traversal sequences. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and least privilege principles for web application components can limit the potential damage from successful exploitation. System administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious URI patterns that may indicate attempts to exploit this vulnerability. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in other components of the web application infrastructure.