CVE-2014-3055 in WebSphere Portal
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in the Unified Task List (UTL) Portlet for IBM WebSphere Portal 7.x and 8.x through 8.0.0.1 CF12 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/26/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-3055 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the Unified Task List (UTL) Portlet component of IBM WebSphere Portal versions 7.x and 8.x through 8.0.0.1 CF12. This security weakness resides in the portal's web application framework and specifically targets the task list functionality that users employ to manage and view workflow tasks. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to inject malicious SQL commands through unspecified input vectors, potentially compromising the underlying database infrastructure that supports the portal's task management capabilities.
The technical implementation of this SQL injection vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the UTL Portlet's parameter handling mechanisms. When users interact with the task list functionality, the application fails to properly escape or validate user-supplied input before incorporating it into SQL query constructions. This omission creates an exploitable condition where malicious actors can manipulate database queries through crafted input parameters, effectively bypassing normal authentication and authorization controls. The vulnerability manifests when the application processes user requests without adequate sanitization, allowing attackers to inject SQL syntax that executes with the privileges of the database user account associated with the portal's database connection.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or modification, as it provides attackers with extensive database access capabilities that can compromise the entire portal infrastructure. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to extract sensitive user information, modify task assignments, manipulate workflow processes, or even escalate privileges within the database environment. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors can exploit this vulnerability from outside the corporate network without requiring local system access or prior authentication. This characteristic significantly increases the attack surface and potential damage scope, particularly in enterprise environments where WebSphere Portal serves as a central collaboration platform for business-critical workflows and task management processes.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the official IBM security patches released for this issue, which typically involve input validation improvements and parameterized query implementations. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be enforced to limit access to the portal application, while comprehensive monitoring should be implemented to detect anomalous database query patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection weaknesses in software applications, and represents a clear violation of secure coding practices that should be addressed through proper input validation and parameterized database queries. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving SQL injection and credential access, potentially enabling lateral movement within the database environment and persistent access to enterprise task management systems that could compromise business continuity and information security posture.