CVE-2014-0030 in Roller
Summary
by MITRE
The XML-RPC protocol support in Apache Roller before 5.0.3 allows attackers to conduct XML External Entity (XXE) attacks via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/05/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0030 represents a critical security flaw in Apache Roller version 5.0.2 and earlier, where the XML-RPC protocol implementation fails to properly validate external entity references. This weakness enables malicious actors to exploit XML External Entity processing mechanisms, allowing them to access local files, perform server-side request forgery attacks, or potentially execute arbitrary code on the affected system. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input sanitization within the XML-RPC processing layer, which permits attackers to inject external entity declarations that can be resolved by the underlying XML parser.
The technical exploitation of this XXE vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious XML-RPC request containing external entity references that point to local resources or remote servers. The affected Apache Roller version processes these requests without proper validation, allowing the XML parser to resolve external entities and potentially disclose sensitive information from the server filesystem or establish connections to attacker-controlled endpoints. This flaw specifically impacts the XML-RPC functionality used for web services integration and remote management capabilities within the Roller blogging platform, making it particularly dangerous for systems that expose these interfaces to untrusted users or external networks.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-0030 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can enable attackers to perform more sophisticated attacks including internal network reconnaissance, data exfiltration, and potential system compromise. Organizations running vulnerable versions of Apache Roller may find their blogging platforms and associated web services exposed to unauthorized access, potentially leading to complete system compromise if proper network segmentation is not implemented. The vulnerability affects both authenticated and unauthenticated attack scenarios, making it particularly concerning for publicly accessible web applications that utilize XML-RPC interfaces for various administrative functions or third-party integrations.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to Apache Roller version 5.0.3 or later, which includes proper XML validation and external entity handling mechanisms. Additional mitigations include implementing proper network segmentation to restrict access to XML-RPC interfaces, configuring firewalls to block unnecessary XML-RPC traffic, and disabling XML-RPC functionality if it is not required for business operations. Security professionals should also consider implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious XML-RPC requests containing suspicious external entity references. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-611 (Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference) and maps to ATT&CK technique T1213.002 (External Remote Services) and T1071.004 (Application Layer Protocol: XMLRPC). Regular security assessments should include verification of XML processing components to prevent similar vulnerabilities in other web applications and services that may be susceptible to XXE attacks through similar implementation flaws.