CVE-2018-3197 in WebLogic Server
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle WebLogic Server component of Oracle Fusion Middleware (subcomponent: WLS Core Components). The supported version that is affected is 12.1.3.0. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via T3 to compromise Oracle WebLogic Server. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in takeover of Oracle WebLogic Server. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 9.8 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-3197 represents a critical security flaw within Oracle WebLogic Server version 12.1.3.0, specifically within the WLS Core Components subcomponent of Oracle Fusion Middleware. This vulnerability resides in the T3 protocol implementation which is a proprietary protocol used by WebLogic Server for communication between managed servers and administration servers. The flaw allows for unauthorized exploitation without requiring authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where the T3 protocol is exposed to external networks.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and authentication mechanisms within the WebLogic Server's T3 protocol handler. Attackers can exploit this weakness by sending specially crafted T3 protocol messages that bypass normal authentication procedures. The vulnerability exists in the deserialization process of the T3 protocol, where malicious payloads can be executed within the context of the WebLogic Server process. This allows attackers to perform arbitrary code execution and gain complete control over the affected server. The CVSS score of 9.8 reflects the severity of impact across confidentiality, integrity, and availability dimensions, indicating that successful exploitation can lead to full system compromise.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-3197 is severe and far-reaching for organizations utilizing affected WebLogic Server versions. Once compromised, attackers can establish persistent access to the server, potentially using it as a foothold for further lateral movement within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability enables attackers to execute commands with the privileges of the WebLogic Server process, which typically runs with elevated permissions. This can result in data exfiltration, modification of critical application data, service disruption, and potential use as a command and control server for further attacks. Organizations may face significant regulatory and compliance implications due to the unauthorized access and potential data breaches that can result from exploitation of this vulnerability.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability, including disabling the T3 protocol entirely if it is not required for legitimate operations. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to the T3 protocol ports, typically port 7001 or 7002, to only trusted internal networks. The recommended approach involves applying the official Oracle patches and updates released to address the vulnerability, which typically include modifications to the T3 protocol handling and enhanced authentication mechanisms. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough network monitoring to detect any suspicious T3 protocol traffic patterns and implement intrusion detection systems to identify potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-502 which describes deserialization of untrusted data, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script interpreter usage, as attackers can leverage the vulnerability to execute arbitrary commands on the compromised system.