CVE-2017-7464 in JBoss EAP
Summary
by MITRE
It was found that the JAXP implementation used in JBoss EAP 7.0 for SAX and DOM parsing is vulnerable to certain XXE flaws. An attacker could use this flaw to cause DoS, SSRF, or information disclosure if they are able to provide XML content for parsing.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/27/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-7464 represents a critical security flaw in the Java XML Parser implementation within Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 7.0. This issue specifically affects the SAX and DOM parsing capabilities that are integral components of the Java API for XML Processing. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and secure configuration of XML parsers, creating exploitable pathways for malicious actors to manipulate the parsing process. The affected JBoss EAP 7.0 implementation relies on standard Java XML parsing mechanisms that have historically been susceptible to various XML-related attacks due to their default configurations allowing external entity resolution.
The technical flaw manifests through the improper handling of external entities during XML document processing, creating opportunities for XML External Entity attacks that fall under the CWE-611 category. When the JAXP parser encounters XML content containing external entity declarations, it processes these entities without adequate restrictions, allowing attackers to reference external resources or perform malicious operations. This vulnerability specifically enables attackers to leverage the parser's capabilities to access local files, perform server-side request forgery attacks, or cause denial of service conditions through resource exhaustion. The implementation does not properly enforce restrictions on entity expansion limits or external resource access, making it susceptible to both direct exploitation and indirect attack vectors that could compromise system integrity.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to encompass significant security risks including information disclosure and server-side request forgery. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could potentially access sensitive files on the server filesystem, retrieve internal network resources, or perform unauthorized operations that could lead to complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects the core parsing functionality that applications rely on for processing XML data, meaning that any application using JBoss EAP 7.0 that accepts user-provided XML input becomes a potential target. This creates widespread exposure across applications that process XML content, including web services, data import functionalities, and configuration management systems that depend on XML parsing capabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-7464 should focus on implementing proper XML parser security configurations and input validation measures. Organizations should configure the JAXP parser to disable external entity resolution and set appropriate limits on entity expansion to prevent resource exhaustion attacks. The recommended approach includes setting parser properties to restrict access to external resources, implementing strict input validation for XML content, and applying the latest security patches provided by Red Hat. Security controls should also include network segmentation to limit access to vulnerable applications, implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious XML content, and establishing monitoring procedures to detect potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their XML processing components and ensure that all applications using JBoss EAP 7.0 have been updated to prevent exploitation through the ATT&CK framework's initial access and execution phases.