CVE-2015-1833 in Jackrabbit
Summary
by MITRE
XML external entity (XXE) vulnerability in Apache Jackrabbit before 2.0.6, 2.2.x before 2.2.14, 2.4.x before 2.4.6, 2.6.x before 2.6.6, 2.8.x before 2.8.1, and 2.10.x before 2.10.1 allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files and send requests to intranet servers via a crafted WebDAV request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/29/2024
The CVE-2015-1833 vulnerability represents a critical XML external entity processing flaw in Apache Jackrabbit content management systems that affected multiple version branches including 2.0.x through 2.10.x. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-611 weakness category, which specifically addresses XML external entity processing vulnerabilities that can lead to information disclosure and remote code execution risks. The flaw exists in the WebDAV implementation where the system fails to properly validate and sanitize XML input received through WebDAV requests, creating an attack surface that allows malicious actors to exploit the system's XML parser behavior.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a remote attacker crafts a malicious WebDAV request containing specially formatted XML data that includes external entity references. When Apache Jackrabbit processes these requests, the XML parser resolves external entities without proper validation, enabling attackers to access local files on the server through file protocol references or to make requests to internal network services using HTTP protocol references. This behavior directly violates the principle of least privilege and allows for unauthorized data exfiltration and internal network reconnaissance. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited from outside the network perimeter, making it an attractive target for attackers seeking to bypass network security controls.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-1833 extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable more severe attacks including internal network scanning and data theft. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to read sensitive configuration files, database credentials, and other system files that may contain authentication tokens or other valuable information. Additionally, the ability to send requests to intranet servers opens possibilities for internal network enumeration and further exploitation of other vulnerable systems within the organization's infrastructure. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol tunneling and T1005 for data from local system, demonstrating how XXE vulnerabilities can serve as initial access vectors for broader compromise scenarios.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to patched versions of Apache Jackrabbit as specified in the advisory, which addresses the XML parsing behavior by implementing proper input validation and entity resolution controls. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be enforced to limit access to WebDAV endpoints, while security monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious XML processing activities. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of implementing proper XML schema validation and disabling external entity processing in all XML parsers throughout the organization's infrastructure. Compliance with security standards such as NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001 requires organizations to maintain updated software inventories and implement vulnerability management processes that can quickly address such issues as demonstrated by the CVSS score of 7.5 for this vulnerability.