CVE-2018-1926 in WebSphere Application Server
Summary
by MITRE
IBM WebSphere Application Server 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0 Admin Console is vulnerable to cross-site request forgery, caused by improper validation of user-supplied input. By persuading a user to visit a malicious URL, a remote attacker could send a specially-crafted request. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to perform CSRF attack and update available applications. IBM X-Force ID: 152992.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/18/2023
IBM WebSphere Application Server versions 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0 contain a critical cross-site request forgery vulnerability that stems from inadequate validation of user-supplied input within the administrative console interface. This vulnerability resides in the server's administrative console component which fails to properly implement anti-CSRF mechanisms, specifically lacking proper token validation and request origin verification. The flaw allows attackers to craft malicious requests that can be executed on behalf of authenticated users, leveraging the trust relationship between the web application and the user's browser.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through the absence of anti-CSRF tokens in administrative operations within the WebSphere console. When users authenticate to the administrative interface, their session remains active and trusted by the application server. However, the absence of CSRF protection mechanisms means that any request sent to the administrative endpoints can be executed without proper validation of the request source. Attackers can construct malicious URLs containing crafted administrative commands that, when visited by an authenticated user, automatically execute with the user's privileges. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-352, which defines Cross-Site Request Forgery as a weakness where the application does not adequately validate the origin of requests, allowing attackers to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it enables attackers to perform administrative operations without proper authorization, potentially leading to complete system compromise. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to update available applications, deploy malicious code, modify system configurations, or even delete critical applications. The attack vector requires social engineering to convince users to visit malicious URLs, but once executed, the consequences extend far beyond simple data theft to include complete system control. The vulnerability affects all supported versions of IBM WebSphere Application Server, making it particularly dangerous as organizations may have multiple systems running different versions. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001, which involves executing commands through web applications, and T1078.004, which covers valid accounts used for unauthorized access.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the relevant IBM security patches that address the CSRF implementation flaw, implementing proper anti-CSRF token mechanisms, and ensuring that administrative consoles are not directly accessible from untrusted networks. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation, restricting administrative access to specific IP addresses, and deploying web application firewalls to detect and prevent malicious requests. Regular security assessments should verify that CSRF protection mechanisms are properly implemented and that administrative interfaces are adequately protected. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and request origin verification in administrative interfaces, as outlined in OWASP Top 10 2017 category A05: Security Misconfiguration, which emphasizes the need for proper access controls and authentication mechanisms in web applications.