CVE-2014-0110 in CXF
Summary
by MITRE
Apache CXF before 2.6.14 and 2.7.x before 2.7.11 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (/tmp disk consumption) via a large invalid SOAP message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/19/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0110 represents a significant denial of service weakness in Apache CXF web services framework that affected versions prior to 2.6.14 and 2.7.11. This flaw specifically targets the handling of SOAP message processing within the framework, creating a scenario where malicious actors can exploit the system's resource consumption patterns to exhaust available disk space on the target server. The vulnerability operates by sending malformed SOAP messages that trigger excessive temporary file creation during the processing pipeline, ultimately leading to disk space exhaustion and service disruption. The issue stems from inadequate input validation and resource management within the SOAP message parsing and processing components of the CXF framework.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits a fundamental flaw in how Apache CXF handles malformed SOAP requests that exceed normal processing boundaries. When the framework encounters an invalid SOAP message with excessive data or malformed structures, it attempts to process these messages through various internal mechanisms that create temporary files in the /tmp directory. These temporary files are generated as part of the message parsing and validation process but are not properly cleaned up or limited in size when dealing with maliciously crafted inputs. The flaw manifests as a resource exhaustion attack where the system's temporary storage becomes saturated with temporary files created during the processing of oversized or malformed SOAP messages, ultimately causing the service to become unavailable.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a critical risk to organizations relying on Apache CXF for web service implementations as it allows remote attackers to consume system resources without requiring authentication or elevated privileges. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it can be executed from any network location with access to the affected web service endpoint, making it an attractive target for automated exploitation campaigns. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption to include potential system instability, performance degradation, and cascading effects on dependent services that rely on the affected system. Organizations may experience unexpected downtime, increased operational overhead from monitoring and recovery efforts, and potential data loss if systems become unresponsive during the attack.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which addresses "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption," and demonstrates how improper input validation can lead to resource exhaustion attacks. From the ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the T1499.004 technique related to "Endpoint Denial of Service" and represents a classic example of how malformed input processing can be weaponized. The attack requires minimal sophistication and can be automated, making it particularly dangerous in environments where web services are exposed to untrusted networks. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including patching to the affected versions, implementing rate limiting on SOAP message processing, and configuring appropriate resource limits on temporary storage areas to prevent complete system exhaustion.
Mitigation strategies should focus on both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The primary solution involves upgrading to Apache CXF versions 2.6.14 or 2.7.11 and later, which contain the necessary patches to address the resource consumption issues. Additionally, organizations should implement network-level controls such as rate limiting and message size restrictions to prevent excessive resource consumption at the perimeter. System administrators should also configure appropriate disk space monitoring and alerting mechanisms to detect early signs of resource exhaustion. The implementation of proper input validation and sanitization processes within SOAP message handling components can provide additional defense-in-depth measures. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify patterns consistent with this type of attack and automated response mechanisms that can quarantine or block suspicious traffic patterns. Regular security assessments of web service implementations should include testing for similar resource consumption vulnerabilities to ensure comprehensive protection against related threats.