CVE-2017-7556 in Hawtio
Summary
by MITRE
Hawtio versions up to and including 1.5.3 are vulnerable to CSRF vulnerability allowing remote attackers to trick the user to visit their website containing a malicious script which can be submitted to hawtio server on behalf of the user.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/09/2021
The CVE-2017-7556 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw in Hawtio versions 1.5.3 and earlier, exposing systems to remote exploitation through malicious web scripts. This vulnerability resides in the web application's failure to properly validate and authenticate requests originating from external sources, creating a pathway for attackers to execute unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users. The flaw specifically targets Hawtio's administrative interface, which is commonly used for monitoring and managing java application servers, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where such tools are frequently deployed.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF tokens in Hawtio's web forms and API endpoints. When a user navigates to a malicious website containing crafted script elements, the attacker can leverage the user's existing authenticated session with the Hawtio server to perform unauthorized operations. This includes but is not limited to modifying configuration settings, executing administrative commands, or accessing sensitive system information. The vulnerability operates under CWE-352, which categorizes cross-site request forgery flaws as a fundamental web application security weakness that allows attackers to perform actions without user consent. The attack vector specifically aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which describes the exploitation of web application vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to administrative functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it can enable attackers to compromise entire application server environments through the Hawtio management interface. Organizations using affected versions of Hawtio face significant risks including unauthorized access to sensitive system configurations, potential data exfiltration, and the possibility of establishing persistent access points within their network infrastructure. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because Hawtio is commonly deployed in production environments where it provides direct access to critical application server management functions, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to gain administrative control over Java-based systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-7556 primarily involve immediate version upgrades to Hawtio 1.5.4 or later, which include proper CSRF token implementation and enhanced request validation mechanisms. Organizations should also implement additional security controls such as network segmentation to limit access to Hawtio interfaces, deployment of web application firewalls to detect and block malicious requests, and regular security assessments of web applications. The fix addresses the root cause by implementing proper anti-CSRF token generation and validation, ensuring that all requests to administrative endpoints contain valid authentication tokens that cannot be forged by external attackers. Security teams should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any other potentially affected applications within their environment and ensure that proper input validation and session management practices are implemented across all web applications to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in the future.