CVE-2020-1710 in JBoss EAP
Summary
by MITRE
The issue appears to be that JBoss EAP 6.4.21 does not parse the field-name in accordance to RFC7230[1] as it returns a 200 instead of a 400.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/16/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-1710 represents a critical HTTP protocol implementation flaw within JBoss Enterprise Application Platform version 6.4.21. This issue stems from the application server's failure to properly validate HTTP header field names according to the established standards defined in RFC7230, which governs HTTP message syntax and routing. The improper parsing behavior manifests when the server encounters malformed header field names that do not conform to the specified format requirements, yet instead of rejecting such requests with a proper HTTP 400 Bad Request response, the system erroneously processes them and returns a 200 OK status code. This deviation from standard HTTP behavior creates a significant security risk as it allows attackers to potentially bypass security controls or manipulate server behavior through carefully crafted malformed HTTP requests that should normally be rejected by compliant HTTP implementations.
The technical flaw resides in the HTTP request parsing logic of the JBoss EAP server, specifically within its header field name validation mechanism. RFC7230 establishes strict requirements for field-name syntax, which must consist of one or more visible ASCII characters excluding specific delimiters and control characters. When the server fails to enforce these requirements, it opens the door to potential exploitation scenarios where malformed headers can be processed without proper validation. This behavior creates a vector for protocol-level attacks that can be leveraged to circumvent security measures, manipulate application logic, or potentially trigger unexpected server behavior that could lead to information disclosure or other security consequences. The vulnerability operates at the HTTP protocol layer, making it particularly concerning as it affects the fundamental communication mechanisms between clients and the application server.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple protocol compliance issues and can significantly affect system security posture and reliability. Attackers who understand this behavior can craft HTTP requests that exploit the lenient parsing, potentially leading to bypassing authentication mechanisms, manipulating request routing, or causing unexpected application behavior that could be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks. The fact that the server returns a 200 status code for malformed requests can mask security issues and make intrusion detection systems less effective, as legitimate-looking responses may be generated for malicious inputs. This vulnerability can be particularly dangerous in environments where HTTP headers are used for security decisions or where the server relies on specific header field names for access control or request processing. The impact is amplified in complex enterprise environments where multiple applications depend on proper HTTP protocol handling for security enforcement.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-1710 should focus on implementing proper HTTP protocol compliance within the JBoss EAP environment. The primary recommendation involves upgrading to a patched version of JBoss EAP 6.4.21 that properly enforces RFC7230 compliance for HTTP header field names, ensuring that malformed headers are rejected with appropriate HTTP 400 responses rather than processed as valid requests. Organizations should also implement network-level controls such as web application firewalls that can detect and block malformed HTTP requests before they reach the application server. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns in HTTP response codes that might indicate exploitation attempts. From a defensive perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation and CWE-20 for improper input validation, highlighting the need for comprehensive security controls that address both protocol-level and application-level vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should include verification of HTTP protocol compliance to ensure that similar issues are not present in other components of the application stack.