CVE-2016-8736 in OpenMeetings
Summary
by MITRE
Apache Openmeetings before 3.1.2 is vulnerable to Remote Code Execution via RMI deserialization attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/31/2019
The Apache OpenMeetings vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-8736 represents a critical remote code execution flaw that affects versions prior to 3.1.2. This vulnerability specifically targets the Remote Method Invocation (RMI) deserialization mechanism within the open source web conferencing platform. The flaw allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on the target system by exploiting improper input validation during the deserialization process of RMI objects. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly sanitize and validate serialized data received through RMI connections, creating an attack surface that can be exploited by remote adversaries without authentication.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the deserialization of untrusted data within the RMI subsystem of Apache OpenMeetings. When the application receives serialized objects through RMI channels, it fails to implement adequate security measures to prevent malicious objects from being deserialized and executed. This deserialization flaw aligns with CWE-502, which specifically addresses "Deserialization of Untrusted Data" as a critical security weakness. The vulnerability enables attackers to craft malicious serialized objects that, when processed by the vulnerable application, result in arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the running application. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it can be initiated remotely without requiring any prior authentication or session establishment.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-8736 is severe and multifaceted, affecting organizations that deploy Apache OpenMeetings for virtual meetings, webinars, and collaborative environments. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability allows attackers to gain full control over the affected system, potentially leading to data breaches, service disruption, and lateral movement within network environments. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to install backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive information, or use the compromised system as a launch point for further attacks against other networked systems. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers can exploit it from anywhere on the internet, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that expose their OpenMeetings installations directly to external networks without proper network segmentation or firewall protection.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement the mitigation strategies recommended by Apache and security vendors. The primary and most effective mitigation is to upgrade to Apache OpenMeetings version 3.1.2 or later, which includes patches addressing the deserialization vulnerability. Additionally, network administrators should implement strict firewall rules to restrict access to RMI ports and consider disabling RMI functionality if it is not essential for operations. Security professionals should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect suspicious RMI traffic patterns and establish intrusion detection systems that can identify potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices and implementing proper input validation for all deserialization operations, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1203 for Exploitation for Client Execution. Organizations should also conduct thorough security assessments of their deployed applications to identify similar deserialization vulnerabilities and implement comprehensive security testing procedures including static code analysis and dynamic application security testing to prevent future occurrences of such critical flaws.