CVE-2016-3499 in WebLogic Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Oracle WebLogic Server component in Oracle Fusion Middleware 12.1.3.0 and 12.2.1.0 allows remote attackers to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability via vectors related to Web Container.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/07/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-3499 resides within Oracle WebLogic Server component of Oracle Fusion Middleware, specifically affecting versions 12.1.3.0 and 12.2.1.0. This unspecified weakness exists within the Web Container subsystem which serves as a critical component for handling web requests and managing web applications within the Oracle Fusion Middleware environment. The Web Container functionality is responsible for processing http requests, managing servlets, and handling web application lifecycle operations, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise the underlying middleware infrastructure.
The technical nature of this vulnerability allows remote attackers to compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system through vectors related to the Web Container component. This three-pronged impact represents a severe security weakness that aligns with common attack patterns described in the ATT&CK framework under the T1190 technique for exploit public-facing application. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability description suggests that it may involve multiple attack vectors or could be a complex weakness that spans across different aspects of web container functionality, potentially including issues related to request processing, input validation, or resource management within the container environment.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to organizations relying on Oracle WebLogic Server for their middleware infrastructure. The ability to affect confidentiality means attackers could potentially access sensitive data processed through the web container, while integrity compromise could allow for data manipulation or code injection attacks. The availability impact suggests that attackers might be able to disrupt services through denial-of-service mechanisms or by corrupting system resources. This vulnerability would likely be exploited through network-based attacks targeting the web container's exposed interfaces, potentially leveraging techniques such as cross-site scripting, command injection, or buffer overflow exploits that are commonly associated with web container weaknesses.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-119 which describes weaknesses related to "Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer" and CWE-20 which covers "Improper Input Validation" as common underlying causes for web container vulnerabilities. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying Oracle's security patches, implementing network segmentation to limit access to the web container, deploying web application firewalls, and conducting thorough security assessments of web applications hosted within the affected WebLogic Server instances. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this vulnerability under the application layer attack techniques, where adversaries attempt to compromise applications to gain access to sensitive data or system resources, making it essential for security teams to prioritize remediation efforts and monitor for exploitation attempts.