CVE-2012-5952 in WebSphere Message
Summary
by MITRE
IBM WebSphere Message Broker 6.1 before 6.1.0.12, 7.0 before 7.0.0.6, and 8.0 before 8.0.0.2 does not validate Basic Authentication credentials before proceeding to WS-Addressing and WS-Security operations, which allows remote attackers to trigger transmission of unauthenticated messages via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/26/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-5952 affects IBM WebSphere Message Broker versions 6.1 before 6.1.0.12, 7.0 before 7.0.0.6, and 8.0 before 8.0.0.2, representing a critical security flaw in the authentication validation process within web services communication. This issue stems from the improper handling of Basic Authentication credentials during WS-Addressing and WS-Security operations, creating a pathway for unauthorized access to message transmission capabilities. The flaw exists in the middleware layer that facilitates enterprise message routing and processing, making it particularly dangerous in environments where secure message handling is paramount.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the WebSphere Message Broker processes incoming messages that contain WS-Addressing and WS-Security headers. During the message processing lifecycle, the system should validate Basic Authentication credentials before proceeding with security-sensitive operations. However, the flaw allows the broker to continue processing operations without proper credential verification, effectively bypassing the authentication layer. This behavior creates a condition where attackers can inject malicious messages that appear to originate from authenticated sources, enabling them to trigger message transmission without proper authorization. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the description suggest multiple potential attack pathways through which unauthenticated operations can be initiated.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables attackers to manipulate message flows within enterprise environments where WebSphere Message Broker serves as a critical communication hub. Remote attackers can leverage this flaw to transmit unauthorized messages, potentially disrupting business processes, accessing sensitive data, or even escalating privileges within the message processing infrastructure. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations using WebSphere Message Broker for mission-critical applications where message integrity and authentication are essential for maintaining business continuity and data security. The flaw can be exploited across various network topologies where the message broker is exposed to external networks or untrusted entities.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches for each affected version, specifically targeting the authentication validation procedures in WS-Addressing and WS-Security processing. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit exposure of the WebSphere Message Broker to untrusted networks, while additional monitoring should be implemented to detect unauthorized message transmission patterns. Security configurations should be reviewed to ensure that Basic Authentication is properly enforced before any security-sensitive operations are initiated. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability impacts adherence to security standards such as those outlined in the CWE catalog under category 287, which addresses improper authentication issues. The ATT&CK framework would classify this vulnerability under the credential access and privilege escalation techniques, as attackers can leverage it to gain unauthorized access to message processing capabilities and potentially escalate their privileges within the enterprise messaging infrastructure.