CVE-2013-4212 in roller
Summary
by MITRE
Certain getText methods in the ActionSupport controller in Apache Roller before 5.0.2 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary OGNL expressions via the first or second parameter, as demonstrated by the pageTitle parameter in the !getPageTitle sub-URL to roller-ui/login.rol, which uses a subclass of UIAction, aka "OGNL Injection."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/19/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-4212 represents a critical server-side request forgery issue affecting Apache Roller versions prior to 5.0.2. This flaw resides within the ActionSupport controller's getText methods, which are designed to retrieve localized text messages but inadvertently expose a pathway for remote code execution. The vulnerability specifically targets the handling of parameters within the controller's text retrieval mechanisms, creating a dangerous condition where attacker-controlled input can be interpreted as executable code rather than simple text data.
The technical exploitation occurs through the manipulation of parameters passed to the getText methods, particularly when these methods process the first or second parameter values. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting malicious input that gets interpreted as OGNL (Object-Graph Navigation Language) expressions rather than standard string data. The vulnerability is demonstrated through the pageTitle parameter within the !getPageTitle sub-URL path to roller-ui/login.rol, which utilizes a subclass of UIAction that inherits the problematic text handling behavior. This particular attack vector allows adversaries to execute arbitrary OGNL expressions, effectively bypassing normal input validation and authorization checks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables remote attackers to achieve arbitrary code execution on the affected server. This capability allows attackers to gain full control over the application server, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and persistence mechanisms. The vulnerability affects the authentication and authorization components of Apache Roller, making it particularly dangerous as it could be exploited to gain administrative access to the blogging platform. The attack requires no authentication and can be executed through standard web requests, making it highly exploitable in real-world scenarios.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-94, which describes the weakness of allowing arbitrary code execution through improper input validation. It also maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.006, which covers execution through scripting, specifically OGNL injection. The flaw demonstrates a classic input sanitization failure where user-provided data flows directly into expression evaluation contexts without proper validation or encoding. Organizations using affected versions of Apache Roller should immediately implement security patches, as the vulnerability has been widely documented and exploited in the wild. Additionally, implementing proper input validation, parameter sanitization, and web application firewalls can provide temporary mitigation while awaiting official updates. The incident highlights the importance of secure coding practices in web applications and the critical need for regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in complex software systems.