CVE-2016-8627 in JBoss Enterprise Application Platform
Summary
by MITRE
admin-cli before versions 3.0.0.alpha25, 2.2.1.cr2 is vulnerable to an EAP feature to download server log files that allows logs to be available via GET requests making them vulnerable to cross-origin attacks. An attacker could trigger the user's browser to request the log files consuming enough resources that normal server functioning could be impaired.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/03/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-8627 affects the admin-cli component of certain Keycloak versions prior to 3.0.0.alpha25 and 2.2.1.cr2. This represents a critical security flaw that stems from improper access control mechanisms within the Enterprise Application Platform feature set. The vulnerability specifically targets the server log file download functionality, which was designed to provide administrative users with access to system logs for troubleshooting purposes. However, the implementation failed to adequately restrict access to these sensitive log files, creating an unintended attack surface that could be exploited by malicious actors.
The technical flaw manifests through the exposure of server log files via GET requests, which violates fundamental security principles of access control and resource management. When an attacker crafts a malicious request to access these log files, the system responds with the requested content without proper authentication or authorization checks. This behavior creates a cross-origin resource sharing vulnerability that allows unauthorized parties to access sensitive server information through web browsers. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it enables resource exhaustion attacks where an attacker can repeatedly request log files, consuming server resources and potentially leading to denial of service conditions that impact normal system operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to encompass significant resource consumption and potential system degradation. Attackers can leverage this flaw to trigger excessive requests to the server, causing memory exhaustion and CPU overutilization that impairs normal service delivery. The cross-origin nature of the attack means that malicious actors could potentially exploit this vulnerability through social engineering campaigns where users are tricked into visiting compromised websites that automatically request the vulnerable log files. This creates a scenario where legitimate users' browsers become unwitting participants in resource depletion attacks that can severely impact system availability and performance.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-8627 should focus on implementing proper access controls and authentication mechanisms for all administrative functions including log file access. Organizations should immediately upgrade to Keycloak versions 3.0.0.alpha25 or 2.2.1.cr2 where this vulnerability has been addressed through enhanced access control measures. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can help detect and block suspicious GET requests targeting log files, while proper configuration of CORS policies should restrict cross-origin access to administrative endpoints. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual patterns in log file access requests, and administrators should implement rate limiting mechanisms to prevent resource exhaustion attacks. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1211 for establishing persistence through resource exhaustion attacks, highlighting the multi-faceted nature of the threat landscape this vulnerability presents to enterprise security infrastructures.