CVE-2014-6153 in WebSphere Service Registry
Summary
by MITRE
The Web UI in IBM WebSphere Service Registry and Repository (WSRR) 6.3.x through 6.3.0.5, 7.0.x through 7.0.0.5, 7.5.x through 7.5.0.4, 8.0.x before 8.0.0.3, and 8.5.x before 8.5.0.1 does not set the secure flag for a cookie in an https session, which makes it easier for remote attackers to capture this cookie by intercepting its transmission within an http session.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/09/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6153 affects IBM WebSphere Service Registry and Repository versions across multiple release streams including 6.3.x through 6.3.0.5, 7.0.x through 7.0.0.5, 7.5.x through 7.5.0.4, 8.0.x before 8.0.0.3, and 8.5.x before 8.5.0.1. This issue resides within the Web UI component of the WSRR platform and represents a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of session management mechanisms. The vulnerability stems from improper cookie security configuration where the secure flag is not being set for session cookies even when transmitted over HTTPS connections, creating a significant attack vector for malicious actors.
The technical flaw manifests in the improper handling of HTTP cookies within the web interface of IBM WebSphere Service Registry and Repository. When users establish secure HTTPS sessions with the application, the system fails to configure session cookies with the secure flag, which is a fundamental security mechanism that instructs browsers to only transmit cookies over encrypted connections. This misconfiguration allows attackers to intercept session cookies during transmission even when the application is accessed over HTTPS, effectively undermining the encryption protection that should safeguard these critical session identifiers. The vulnerability specifically impacts the cookie management implementation in the web user interface, where the secure flag is omitted from cookies regardless of the transport protocol being used.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple session hijacking capabilities, as it creates a pathway for attackers to compromise user sessions and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive registry and repository information. When an attacker successfully intercepts a cookie transmitted over an unencrypted HTTP connection, they can reuse that session identifier to impersonate legitimate users and access restricted resources within the service registry and repository environment. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely on WSRR for managing enterprise service registries, as compromised sessions could lead to unauthorized modifications of service metadata, access to confidential registry information, or potential disruption of service discovery mechanisms. The attack surface is further expanded when considering that many enterprise environments may have mixed HTTP/HTTPS configurations or when users navigate between secure and non-secure pages within the same domain.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as a manifestation of CWE-614, which specifically addresses the improper use of secure cookies without the secure flag, and it aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 related to credential access through unsecured network connections. The vulnerability represents a classic example of insufficient session management security where the principle of least privilege is violated through improper cookie configuration. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including ensuring that all session cookies are properly configured with the secure flag, implementing HSTS headers to enforce HTTPS connections, and conducting thorough security assessments of web applications to identify similar misconfigurations. The patching process should focus on updating to the affected IBM WebSphere Service Registry and Repository versions that include proper cookie security implementations, while also implementing network-level protections such as SSL inspection and monitoring for suspicious cookie transmission patterns. This vulnerability underscores the critical importance of proper cookie security configuration in web applications and serves as a reminder that even minor configuration oversights can create significant security risks in enterprise service management platforms.