CVE-2018-1695 in WebSphere Application Server
Summary
by MITRE
IBM WebSphere Application Server 7.0, 8.0, and 8.5.5 installations using Form Login could allow a remote attacker to conduct spoofing attacks. IBM X-Force ID: 145769.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/07/2023
IBM WebSphere Application Server versions 7.0, 8.0, and 8.5.5 contain a security vulnerability in their form-based authentication mechanism that enables remote attackers to conduct spoofing attacks. This vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of authentication responses within the form login process, allowing malicious actors to manipulate authentication flows and potentially bypass security controls. The flaw specifically affects installations that utilize form-based login mechanisms, making it particularly concerning for organizations relying on web application security through traditional login forms. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-613, which addresses inadequate session management and authentication validation issues. The security implications extend beyond simple authentication bypass, as the vulnerability can be exploited to manipulate user sessions and potentially gain unauthorized access to protected resources. Attackers can leverage this weakness to present false authentication pages or manipulate the authentication response flow, effectively deceiving both users and the application server itself. The vulnerability represents a significant risk to enterprise applications where form-based authentication is the primary means of user verification. Organizations using IBM WebSphere Application Server with form login capabilities should consider this as a critical security concern that could enable sophisticated social engineering attacks or session hijacking attempts. The flaw demonstrates a fundamental weakness in the server's ability to validate authentication responses, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate the authentication state and gain unauthorized access to protected application resources. This vulnerability affects the core security architecture of the application server, undermining the integrity of the authentication process that is critical for maintaining application security boundaries. The impact extends to both user experience and security posture, as the spoofing capability could be used to create convincing fake login pages or manipulate existing authentication flows to redirect users to malicious endpoints. From a defensive perspective, organizations should implement immediate mitigations including patching affected systems, reviewing authentication configurations, and monitoring for suspicious authentication patterns. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper input validation and response handling in authentication mechanisms, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1548.002 which covers privilege escalation through application access tokens. Security teams should also consider implementing additional authentication layers and monitoring for unusual authentication behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The IBM WebSphere Application Server vulnerability represents a significant threat to enterprise security infrastructure and requires immediate attention from security administrators responsible for maintaining application server security. Organizations should also evaluate their broader authentication architecture to ensure that similar vulnerabilities do not exist in other components of their security infrastructure, particularly in web application frameworks and authentication libraries that may be subject to similar spoofing attacks.