CVE-2018-3210 in GlassFish Server
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle GlassFish Server component of Oracle Fusion Middleware (subcomponent: Java Server Faces). The supported version that is affected is 3.1.2. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Oracle GlassFish Server. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized read access to a subset of Oracle GlassFish Server accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 5.3 (Confidentiality impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-3210 resides within Oracle GlassFish Server's Java Server Faces component, specifically affecting version 3.1.2 of the Fusion Middleware suite. This represents a critical confidentiality weakness that stems from inadequate access controls within the server's web application framework. The vulnerability manifests as a flaw in how the Java Server Faces implementation handles incoming HTTP requests, creating an avenue for unauthorized data access without requiring any authentication credentials or privileged access. Security researchers have classified this issue as easily exploitable, indicating that the attack vector requires minimal technical sophistication and can be executed by any network-connected attacker with basic HTTP capabilities.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses inadequate access control mechanisms within software applications. The flaw allows attackers to bypass normal authentication procedures and directly access sensitive data within the GlassFish Server environment. This occurs through malformed HTTP requests that exploit a weakness in the server's input validation and access control logic. The vulnerability specifically targets the Java Server Faces framework's handling of user requests, where insufficient authorization checks permit data retrieval that should otherwise be restricted. The attack requires only network connectivity to the target server and does not necessitate any special privileges or prior access to the system.
From an operational perspective, successful exploitation of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized read access to a subset of data within the GlassFish Server environment. This impacts the confidentiality aspect of the information security triad by allowing attackers to extract sensitive information that may include application data, configuration details, or user-related information stored within the server's accessible resources. The CVSS 3.0 score of 5.3 indicates a medium severity impact, though the ease of exploitation combined with the potential for data compromise makes this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations running affected GlassFish Server versions. The vulnerability affects the entire GlassFish Server instance, potentially exposing multiple applications hosted on the server to unauthorized data access.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Oracle Critical Patch Update (CPU) that addresses this vulnerability, which typically involves upgrading to a patched version of the GlassFish Server. Network-level protections such as firewalls and access control lists should be configured to restrict HTTP access to the server, particularly if the service is not publicly exposed. Additionally, implementing network monitoring solutions to detect unusual HTTP traffic patterns or unauthorized access attempts can help identify potential exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1071.004 for application layer protocols and T1046 for network service scanning, indicating that defenders should monitor for these attack patterns. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar access control weaknesses in other components of the application stack. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can recognize the specific HTTP request patterns associated with this vulnerability to provide early warning of potential exploitation attempts.