CVE-2020-14625 in WebLogic Server
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle WebLogic Server product of Oracle Fusion Middleware (component: Core). Supported versions that are affected are 12.2.1.3.0, 12.2.1.4.0 and 14.1.1.0.0. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via IIOP, T3 to compromise Oracle WebLogic Server. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in takeover of Oracle WebLogic Server. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 9.8 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/01/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-14625 represents a critical security flaw within Oracle WebLogic Server's Core component, specifically affecting versions 12.2.1.3.0, 12.2.1.4.0, and 14.1.1.0.0. This weakness resides in the server's handling of remote communication protocols, creating an exploitable entry point that adversaries can leverage without requiring authentication credentials. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers can readily initiate attacks with minimal prerequisites, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where such servers often serve as critical infrastructure components.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of incoming requests through the IIOP (Internet Inter-ORB Protocol) and T3 (WebLogic T3 Protocol) communication channels. These protocols are fundamental to WebLogic Server's operation, enabling distributed object communication and management functionalities. Attackers can exploit this flaw by sending specially crafted malicious requests through these interfaces, bypassing normal authentication mechanisms and gaining unauthorized access to the server's underlying systems. The vulnerability's impact is severe as it allows full compromise of the WebLogic Server instance, providing attackers with complete control over the affected system.
From an operational perspective, successful exploitation of CVE-2020-14625 can lead to complete system takeover, enabling attackers to execute arbitrary code, access sensitive data, modify system configurations, and potentially use the compromised server as a pivot point for further attacks within the network. The CVSS 3.1 score of 9.8 reflects the high severity of this vulnerability, with impacts rated as high across all three core security principles: confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The attack vector requiring only network access through IIOP or T3 protocols means that systems exposed to the internet or internal networks without proper segmentation are at significant risk. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to remote code execution and privilege escalation.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the official Oracle patches released for this vulnerability, restricting network access to WebLogic Server ports through firewall rules, disabling unnecessary protocols such as IIOP and T3 when not required, and implementing network segmentation to limit lateral movement. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns in T3 and IIOP traffic, while regular vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other middleware components. The remediation process must also include comprehensive testing of patched environments to ensure that the security updates do not introduce compatibility issues with existing applications. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing intrusion detection systems specifically configured to identify exploitation attempts targeting known WebLogic vulnerabilities, as early detection can significantly reduce the potential impact of such attacks.