CVE-2019-2890 in WebLogic Server
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle WebLogic Server product of Oracle Fusion Middleware (component: Web Services). Supported versions that are affected are 10.3.6.0.0, 12.1.3.0.0 and 12.2.1.3.0. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows high privileged 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 7.2 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/09/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-2890 represents a critical security flaw within Oracle WebLogic Server's Web Services component, specifically affecting versions 10.3.6.0.0, 12.1.3.0.0, and 12.2.1.3.0 within the Fusion Middleware suite. This vulnerability operates at the network level through the T3 protocol, which is Oracle's proprietary protocol for communication between WebLogic Server instances and clients. The flaw resides in how the server processes incoming T3 requests, creating an avenue for unauthorized access that can be exploited by attackers with high privileges and network connectivity. The CVSS 3.0 scoring system rates this vulnerability as 7.2, indicating a high severity level that encompasses significant impacts to confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The attack vector requires network access via T3 protocol, with low attack complexity and high privileges required, suggesting that the vulnerability targets specific access levels within the system architecture.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and handling within the Web Services component of WebLogic Server. When processing T3 protocol requests, the server fails to adequately validate the structure and content of incoming serialized objects, allowing for potential deserialization attacks. This weakness creates an environment where maliciously crafted T3 requests can trigger arbitrary code execution on the target server. The vulnerability's exploitation pathway involves sending specially crafted serialized Java objects through the T3 protocol interface, which then gets processed by the server's deserialization mechanism. This process can lead to complete system compromise as the attacker gains the ability to execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the WebLogic Server process. The flaw aligns with CWE-502, which specifically addresses deserialization of untrusted data as a critical security concern, and represents a classic example of how insecure deserialization can lead to remote code execution in enterprise application servers.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-2890 extends beyond simple data compromise to potentially enable complete system takeover of affected WebLogic Server instances. Successful exploitation allows attackers to gain full administrative control over the server, providing access to sensitive data, the ability to modify system configurations, and the capability to deploy additional malicious software. The vulnerability's potential for widespread impact increases when considering that WebLogic Server often serves as a central component in enterprise architectures, hosting critical applications and services. Organizations running these affected versions face significant risk of data breaches, service disruption, and potential lateral movement within their networks. The availability impact is particularly severe as attackers can potentially cause denial of service conditions or completely disable the WebLogic Server functionality. The integrity impact manifests through unauthorized modifications to system configurations, application data, or the underlying server environment, while the confidentiality impact allows for unauthorized access to sensitive information stored or processed by the affected servers. This vulnerability's exploitation can enable attackers to establish persistent backdoors and maintain long-term access to enterprise networks, representing a significant threat to organizational security posture.
Organizations should immediately implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2019-2890. The primary recommendation involves applying the official Oracle Critical Patch Update (CPU) patches released for this vulnerability, which address the underlying deserialization flaw in the Web Services component. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to T3 protocol ports, limiting exposure to trusted networks only. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by ensuring that only authorized personnel have network access to WebLogic Server instances. Regular monitoring of network traffic for suspicious T3 protocol activity and implementing intrusion detection systems can help identify potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider disabling T3 protocol entirely if it is not required for business operations, as this removes the attack surface entirely. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all affected WebLogic Server instances and prioritize remediation efforts based on risk exposure. The mitigation strategy should also include regular security training for administrators to recognize potential exploitation indicators and maintain updated incident response procedures for handling such security events. Organizations leveraging cloud environments should ensure that their cloud security configurations properly restrict access to WebLogic Server instances and implement network access controls to prevent unauthorized T3 protocol communication.