CVE-2015-5178 in JBoss Enterprise Application Platform
Summary
by MITRE
The Management Console in Red Hat Enterprise Application Platform before 6.4.4 and WildFly (formerly JBoss Application Server) does not send an X-Frame-Options HTTP header, which makes it easier for remote attackers to conduct clickjacking attacks via a crafted web page that contains a (1) FRAME or (2) IFRAME element.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/25/2022
The vulnerability described in CVE-2015-5178 represents a critical web application security flaw affecting Red Hat Enterprise Application Platform versions prior to 6.4.4 and WildFly versions that were previously known as JBoss Application Server. This issue stems from the absence of proper clickjacking protection mechanisms within the Management Console component, creating a significant attack surface that malicious actors can exploit to manipulate user interactions through deceptive web page construction. The vulnerability specifically impacts the security posture of enterprise application platforms where administrative interfaces are accessible over the web, making it particularly concerning for organizations relying on these technologies for their mission-critical applications.
The technical flaw manifests as the omission of the X-Frame-Options HTTP header in responses generated by the Management Console interface. This header serves as a crucial security mechanism that prevents web pages from being embedded within frame or iframe elements of other websites, thereby protecting against clickjacking attacks. Without this protective header, the Management Console becomes vulnerable to various attack vectors where adversaries craft malicious web pages containing FRAME or IFRAME elements designed to overlay legitimate administrative interfaces with deceptive content. The absence of X-Frame-Options allows attackers to create overlay layers that can capture user interactions, potentially enabling unauthorized administrative actions or credential theft through carefully constructed deceptive interfaces.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple security concerns to encompass potential business disruption and data compromise. Attackers leveraging this flaw can construct malicious web pages that trick authenticated users into performing unintended administrative actions within the targeted application platform. This could result in unauthorized configuration changes, data manipulation, privilege escalation, or complete system compromise depending on the administrative privileges of the compromised user. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it targets the administrative interface, which typically possesses elevated privileges and access to critical system functions, making successful exploitation potentially devastating for enterprise environments.
Organizations affected by CVE-2015-5178 should implement immediate mitigation strategies to protect their systems from potential exploitation. The primary remediation involves updating to Red Hat Enterprise Application Platform version 6.4.4 or later, which includes the proper implementation of X-Frame-Options headers in Management Console responses. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers as an additional layer of protection, though the primary solution remains the standard X-Frame-Options implementation. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any other components within their application stack that might be similarly vulnerable, as this type of oversight in web security headers can indicate broader architectural weaknesses. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-1021, which specifically addresses insufficient protection against clickjacking attacks, and represents a clear violation of security best practices established by both industry standards and defensive frameworks such as the ATT&CK framework's web application attack patterns.
This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of implementing proper HTTP security headers as part of comprehensive web application security strategies. The lack of X-Frame-Options header implementation represents a fundamental security oversight that exposes enterprise administrative interfaces to manipulation through simple but effective social engineering techniques. Organizations should establish robust security configuration management processes that ensure all web applications implement appropriate security headers, including X-Frame-Options, X-Content-Type-Options, and Content Security Policy directives to protect against similar vulnerabilities. The incident underscores the necessity for regular security assessments and timely patch management to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities that could otherwise lead to significant operational and financial consequences.