CVE-2012-5629 in JBoss Enterprise Application Platform
Summary
by MITRE
The default configuration of the (1) LdapLoginModule and (2) LdapExtLoginModule modules in JBoss Enterprise Application Platform (EAP) 4.3.0 CP10, 5.2.0, and 6.0.1, and Enterprise Web Platform (EWP) 5.2.0 allow remote attackers to bypass authentication via an empty password.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/30/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-5629 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw affecting JBoss Enterprise Application Platform and Enterprise Web Platform versions. This issue resides within the default configurations of two LDAP login modules namely LdapLoginModule and LdapExtLoginModule which are fundamental components for enterprise authentication systems. The flaw specifically targets the authentication mechanisms that govern how user credentials are validated against LDAP directories, creating a dangerous security gap that can be exploited by remote attackers without requiring any specialized tools or privileges.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper configuration defaults that fail to properly validate password inputs during the authentication process. When an attacker submits an empty password value, the affected modules incorrectly accept this input as valid authentication credentials, effectively allowing unauthorized access to protected systems and applications. This behavior violates fundamental security principles and represents a clear violation of CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication mechanisms. The flaw exists because the default configuration does not enforce mandatory password validation checks, creating a scenario where any user account can be accessed simply by providing an empty password string.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching across enterprise environments relying on JBoss platforms for their application hosting and authentication services. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to sensitive applications, databases, and system resources without requiring legitimate credentials or knowledge of actual passwords. This authentication bypass capability allows for complete compromise of the affected systems, potentially leading to data breaches, privilege escalation, and unauthorized system manipulation. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of JBoss EAP and EWP platforms, making it particularly dangerous as organizations with diverse software stacks may be simultaneously exposed to this risk.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating to patched versions of the affected JBoss platforms, reviewing and modifying the default LDAP login module configurations to enforce mandatory password validation, and implementing additional security controls such as network segmentation and monitoring for anomalous authentication patterns. The remediation process should involve comprehensive configuration reviews to ensure that authentication modules properly validate all credential inputs and reject empty or null password values. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and credential access, demonstrating how improper authentication controls can enable adversaries to maintain persistent access to target systems. Security teams must also consider implementing additional layers of authentication including multi-factor authentication and robust monitoring solutions to detect and prevent exploitation attempts.