CVE-2014-0058 in JBoss Enterprise Application Platform
Summary
by MITRE
The security audit functionality in Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform (EAP) 6.x before 6.2.1 logs request parameters in plaintext, which might allow local users to obtain passwords by reading the log files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0058 represents a critical security flaw in Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform version 6.x prior to 6.2.1, specifically within its security audit logging mechanism. This issue stems from improper handling of sensitive data during the logging process, where request parameters are written to log files in unencrypted plaintext format. The flaw creates a significant risk for local system users who may have access to these log files, as they could potentially extract confidential information including passwords, session tokens, and other authentication credentials directly from the audit logs.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability manifests in the application server's security auditing subsystem where it fails to sanitize or encrypt sensitive parameters before writing them to persistent storage. The logging functionality operates without proper data masking or encryption controls, resulting in plaintext exposure of user credentials and authentication data. This weakness directly correlates to CWE-532, which addresses information exposure through logging mechanisms, and represents a classic example of insufficient logging security practices. The flaw occurs at the application level where security audit features are designed to monitor and record system activities but inadvertently create attack vectors through their own implementation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it provides attackers with a persistent method for accessing authentication data even after initial exploitation attempts have been thwarted. Local users with read access to log files can systematically extract passwords and other sensitive information from the audit trail, potentially enabling them to escalate privileges or gain unauthorized access to additional system resources. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where multiple administrators or users share the same system, as log file access permissions may not be properly restricted. The exposure of authentication credentials through logging mechanisms creates a significant risk for compliance violations and regulatory requirements, particularly under standards such as pci dss and soc 2.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-0058 should focus on immediate patching of affected JBoss EAP versions to 6.2.1 or later, where the logging functionality has been corrected to properly sanitize sensitive parameters. Organizations should implement comprehensive log file access controls and privilege management to restrict who can read audit logs containing sensitive information. Additional protective measures include configuring the application server to disable or modify security audit logging for sensitive operations, implementing log rotation with proper file permissions, and deploying centralized logging solutions with proper encryption and access controls. Security teams should also conduct regular log file audits to identify potential unauthorized access attempts and implement monitoring solutions that can detect unusual access patterns to sensitive log files. The remediation approach aligns with attack techniques documented in the mitre attack framework under the credential access and persistence domains, emphasizing the importance of proper logging security controls and access management practices.