CVE-2017-10147 in WebLogic Server
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle WebLogic Server component of Oracle Fusion Middleware (subcomponent: Core Components). Supported versions that are affected are 10.3.6.0, 12.1.3.0, 12.2.1.1 and 12.2.1.2. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via T3 to compromise Oracle WebLogic Server. While the vulnerability is in Oracle WebLogic Server, attacks may significantly impact additional products. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized ability to cause a hang or frequently repeatable crash (complete DOS) of Oracle WebLogic Server. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 8.6 (Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H). NOTE: the previous information is from the July 2017 CPU. Oracle has not commented on third-party claims that this issue exists in the migrate functionality in the WebLogic/cluster/singleton/ServerMigrationCoordinator class and allows remote attackers to shutdown the server via a crafted T3 request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/02/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-10147 represents a critical availability flaw within Oracle WebLogic Server's Core Components subcomponent, specifically affecting versions 10.3.6.0, 12.1.3.0, 12.2.1.1, and 12.2.1.2. This weakness resides in the T3 protocol implementation, which serves as Oracle's proprietary protocol for communication between WebLogic Server instances and clients. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers require minimal prerequisites to execute successful attacks, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where network exposure is common. The CVSS 3.0 base score of 8.6 reflects the severity of the availability impact, with the vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H indicating network-based access with low attack complexity, no authentication requirements, and a complete system impact that can lead to denial of service conditions. The vulnerability's presence in the migrate functionality within WebLogic/cluster/singleton/ServerMigrationCoordinator class demonstrates how seemingly benign administrative features can become attack vectors when improperly secured.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through crafted T3 protocol requests that can be transmitted over unauthenticated network connections, allowing attackers to remotely compromise the target WebLogic Server instance. The T3 protocol, while designed for legitimate administrative tasks such as server monitoring, configuration management, and cluster coordination, becomes a weaponized vector when the protocol's deserialization mechanisms lack proper input validation. This flaw enables attackers to inject malicious payloads that trigger specific code paths within the WebLogic Server's internal architecture, ultimately leading to system instability and potential complete server shutdown. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond the immediate WebLogic Server instance as it can affect the broader Oracle Fusion Middleware ecosystem, potentially compromising interconnected applications and services that depend on the server's availability. The complete denial of service condition can be achieved through repeated exploitation attempts that cause the server to hang or crash repeatedly, effectively rendering the service unavailable to legitimate users and applications.
Security implications of CVE-2017-10147 align with ATT&CK framework's T1499 technique for network denial of service, where adversaries leverage system weaknesses to disrupt availability. The vulnerability's characteristics also relate to CWE-502, which describes "Deserialization of Untrusted Data," as the flaw likely involves insecure deserialization of T3 protocol messages. Organizations utilizing affected WebLogic Server versions face significant operational risks, as the vulnerability can be exploited without requiring authentication credentials or specialized knowledge of the system's internal workings. The impact on business operations can be severe, particularly for mission-critical applications that depend on continuous availability of WebLogic Server infrastructure. The vulnerability's presence in multiple versions suggests a systemic issue within the server's core architecture rather than a localized bug, indicating that organizations may need to implement comprehensive mitigation strategies across their entire Oracle Fusion Middleware deployment.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-10147 should focus on network-level protections and immediate patching procedures. Organizations must implement strict firewall rules to restrict access to T3 protocol ports (typically 7001, 7002, and 7003) to only trusted networks and IP addresses, effectively preventing unauthorized access from external networks. The most effective long-term solution involves applying Oracle's security patches and updates specifically designed to address this vulnerability, as the company has provided fixes in subsequent releases. Network segmentation and monitoring should be implemented to detect unusual T3 protocol traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider disabling T3 protocol entirely if it is not required for legitimate administrative operations, as this eliminates the attack surface entirely. The vulnerability's classification under CVSS 3.0's availability impact category (A:H) emphasizes the importance of implementing redundant systems and failover mechanisms to maintain service availability during potential exploitation events, ensuring business continuity in the face of such critical infrastructure threats.