CVE-2014-7827 in JBoss Enterprise Application Platform
Summary
by MITRE
The org.jboss.security.plugins.mapping.JBossMappingManager implementation in JBoss Security in Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform (EAP) before 6.3.3 uses the default security domain when a security domain is undefined, which allows remote authenticated users to bypass intended access restrictions by leveraging credentials on the default domain for a role that is also on the application domain.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/10/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7827 resides within the JBoss Security framework of Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform EAP versions prior to 6.3.3. This flaw manifests in the org.jboss.security.plugins.mapping.JBossMappingManager implementation which governs how security domains are handled during authentication processes. The core issue occurs when an application fails to explicitly define a security domain, causing the system to fall back to a default security domain instead of properly rejecting the request or enforcing proper access controls. This behavior creates a significant security gap that can be exploited by authenticated attackers who understand the underlying security architecture.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability leverages the principle of least privilege violation through improper access control implementation. When a security domain is undefined, the JBossMappingManager defaults to using the system's default security domain rather than failing securely or enforcing proper authorization boundaries. This allows authenticated users to leverage credentials and roles from the default security domain to gain access to resources that should be restricted to specific application domains. The flaw essentially creates a privilege escalation path where users can bypass intended access restrictions by utilizing role mappings that exist in both the default and application-specific security domains.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables authenticated attackers to perform unauthorized access to application resources that should be protected by specific security domain boundaries. The attack requires only authentication to the system, making it particularly dangerous as it can be executed by any legitimate user who understands the security domain configuration. The vulnerability affects the fundamental security model of JBoss EAP applications, potentially allowing attackers to access sensitive data, perform privileged operations, or escalate their privileges within the application environment. This represents a critical breakdown in the security domain isolation that should normally protect different application components from unauthorized cross-domain access.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately apply the security patches provided by Red Hat for JBoss EAP 6.3.3 and subsequent releases. The mitigation strategy should include explicit configuration of security domains for all applications to prevent the fallback to default security domains. System administrators should implement proper security domain isolation practices and conduct thorough security reviews of all application configurations to ensure that no applications are relying on implicit default security domain behavior. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and monitoring for unauthorized access attempts can help detect exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and privilege escalation through improper security domain handling. The remediation process should also include comprehensive testing to verify that all applications properly define their security domains and that the default security domain is appropriately configured to prevent unauthorized access to application resources.