CVE-2013-3016 in WebSphere Portal
Summary
by MITRE
IBM WebSphere Portal 6.1, 7.0, and 8.0 allows remote attackers to access the user directory via a crafted request for a servlet, related to the serveServletsByClassnameEnabled setting.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/21/2021
IBM WebSphere Portal versions 6.1, 7.0, and 8.0 contain a critical security vulnerability that enables remote attackers to access user directory information through specially crafted requests targeting servlet endpoints. This vulnerability stems from an insecure configuration setting known as serveServletsByClassnameEnabled which, when improperly configured, allows unauthorized access to internal servlet components that should remain protected. The flaw represents a classic path traversal and information disclosure vulnerability that directly violates security principles of least privilege and access control. According to CWE-200, this vulnerability falls under information exposure, where sensitive data about users and system components becomes accessible to unauthorized parties. The attack vector involves sending crafted HTTP requests that exploit the enabled servlet class name serving functionality, potentially exposing internal system information including user credentials, session data, and directory structures that should remain hidden from external entities.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a failure in input validation and access control mechanisms within the WebSphere Portal framework. When the serveServletsByClassnameEnabled parameter is set to true, the system permits external requests to directly invoke servlet classes by their fully qualified class names without proper authentication or authorization checks. This creates a pathway for attackers to enumerate and access internal servlet components that typically operate within protected system boundaries. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213.002 which covers data from information repositories, specifically targeting web application components that store sensitive user information. Attackers can leverage this weakness to gain insights into the application's internal architecture and potentially escalate privileges through further exploitation of the exposed servlet interfaces.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-3016 extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks including privilege escalation and lateral movement within affected networks. Organizations running vulnerable WebSphere Portal versions face significant risk of credential theft, unauthorized access to user directories, and potential system compromise. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of IBM WebSphere Portal, indicating a widespread issue that would impact enterprise environments with legacy systems. This type of vulnerability directly impacts the confidentiality and integrity aspects of the CIA triad, as it allows unauthorized parties to access protected information and potentially modify system behavior through manipulated servlet requests. Security teams must consider the implications of this vulnerability in relation to compliance requirements such as those outlined in ISO 27001 and NIST frameworks that mandate proper access controls and information protection measures.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including disabling the serveServletsByClassnameEnabled setting when not required for legitimate business operations, implementing proper network segmentation to limit access to portal servers, and conducting comprehensive security assessments of all WebSphere Portal installations. Regular security updates and patches from IBM should be applied promptly to address this vulnerability and prevent exploitation attempts. Additional defensive measures include implementing web application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious requests, enabling detailed logging and monitoring of servlet access patterns, and establishing proper access controls through authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of secure configuration management practices and regular security audits to identify and remediate similar issues in complex enterprise application environments. Organizations should also consider implementing principle of least privilege controls to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to sensitive system components and configuration settings that could enable such vulnerabilities.