CVE-2017-15089 in JBoss Data Grid
Summary
by MITRE
It was found that the Hotrod client in Infinispan before 9.2.0.CR1 would unsafely read deserialized data on information from the cache. An authenticated attacker could inject a malicious object into the data cache and attain deserialization on the client, and possibly conduct further attacks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/06/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15089 represents a critical deserialization flaw within the Hotrod client implementation of Infinispan, a widely-used distributed caching solution. This vulnerability exists in versions prior to 9.2.0.CR1 and stems from the client's improper handling of deserialized data received from cache servers. The flaw allows authenticated attackers to inject malicious objects into the data cache, which then get deserialized by client applications without adequate security checks. The root cause of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-502, which specifically addresses deserialization of untrusted data as a security weakness. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic attack pattern where an authenticated threat actor leverages legitimate access to manipulate cache contents, ultimately compromising client-side applications through unsafe deserialization practices.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a carefully crafted malicious object that gets stored in the cache server. When an application using the Hotrod client attempts to retrieve this data, the client automatically deserializes the malicious object without proper validation or sanitization. This unsafe deserialization process creates an attack surface where arbitrary code execution becomes possible, depending on the available deserialization gadgets within the client's classpath. The vulnerability specifically affects the Hotrod protocol implementation, which is designed for high-performance communication between clients and Infinispan servers. The attack chain follows a typical pattern where the initial compromise occurs through cache manipulation, followed by client-side deserialization that enables further exploitation. This vulnerability can be classified under ATT&CK technique T1210, which covers exploitation of remote services through deserialization attacks, and also relates to T1059 for potential command execution.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-15089 extends beyond simple data compromise, as it provides attackers with potential access to execute arbitrary code on client systems. This represents a significant escalation from simple cache manipulation to full system compromise, particularly when client applications run with elevated privileges or have access to sensitive resources. The vulnerability affects organizations using Infinispan in production environments where authentication is properly configured but insufficiently validated during deserialization processes. Organizations that rely on Hotrod clients for distributed caching operations face potential exposure to privilege escalation, data exfiltration, and system takeover attacks. The vulnerability's impact is amplified when considering that many applications using Infinispan may not implement proper input validation or secure deserialization practices in their client-side code. This makes the attack surface broader than initially apparent, as the vulnerability can be exploited through legitimate cache operations that are part of normal application workflows.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-15089 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Infinispan versions to 9.2.0.CR1 or later, which includes proper deserialization safeguards. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to cache servers and reduce the attack surface available to authenticated users. Additional protective measures include implementing strict access controls and authentication mechanisms for cache operations, along with monitoring for unusual cache manipulation patterns. Security teams should also consider implementing application-level protections such as secure deserialization libraries, input validation at cache entry points, and regular security scanning of cache contents. The implementation of secure coding practices and regular security assessments can help prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future versions. Organizations should also establish incident response procedures specifically tailored to handle deserialization-based attacks and maintain comprehensive logging of cache operations for forensic analysis. These mitigations align with security frameworks such as the OWASP Top 10 and NIST cybersecurity guidelines for protecting against deserialization vulnerabilities in distributed systems.