CVE-2015-2027 in WebSphere eXtreme Scale
Summary
by MITRE
IBM WebSphere eXtreme Scale 7.1.0 before 7.1.0.3 and 7.1.1 before 7.1.1.1 improperly performs logout actions, which allows remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions by leveraging an unattended workstation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/11/2018
IBM WebSphere eXtreme Scale represents a distributed in-memory computing platform designed to provide high-performance data management and processing capabilities for enterprise applications. The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-2027 specifically targets the authentication and session management mechanisms within the 7.1.0 and 7.1.1 release versions of this platform. This flaw manifests in the improper handling of logout operations, creating a security gap that can be exploited by remote attackers to maintain unauthorized access to systems. The vulnerability stems from inadequate session termination procedures that fail to properly invalidate user credentials and access tokens when logout actions are initiated, leaving persistent access pathways available for exploitation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the failure of the platform to properly invalidate session state information during logout processes, particularly when users leave workstations unattended. When a user logs out of the WebSphere eXtreme Scale interface, the system should immediately terminate all associated session tokens and revoke access permissions to protected resources. However, the flawed implementation allows session identifiers to remain valid or accessible through alternative pathways, enabling attackers to leverage these stale sessions to bypass intended access controls. This represents a critical weakness in the platform's session management architecture and directly impacts the principle of least privilege that governs secure access control mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential data breaches, privilege escalation, and system compromise. Attackers can exploit this weakness to gain continued access to sensitive enterprise data and applications that should only be available to authenticated users. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where workstations are left unattended, as it creates a window of opportunity for malicious actors to exploit the session persistence issue. This flaw can result in unauthorized data manipulation, information disclosure, and potentially full system compromise depending on the privileges associated with the compromised sessions. The vulnerability affects organizations using IBM WebSphere eXtreme Scale in production environments where security and access control are paramount for protecting enterprise data assets.
Organizations should immediately implement the vendor-provided security patches and updates to address this vulnerability, as IBM released version 7.1.0.3 and 7.1.1.1 to remediate the session management issues. System administrators should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of the affected WebSphere eXtreme Scale versions and ensure comprehensive patch deployment across all environments. Additional mitigations include implementing strict session timeout policies, monitoring for unusual login patterns, and establishing robust access control measures that complement the platform's authentication mechanisms. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation and privileged access management controls to limit the potential impact of session hijacking attacks. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-613, which addresses inadequate session management and improper session termination, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566 related to credential access through session hijacking and unauthorized access exploitation.