CVE-2022-21560 in WebLogic Server
Summary
by MITRE • 07/20/2022
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 T3, IIOP to compromise Oracle WebLogic Server. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized ability to cause a partial denial of service (partial DOS) of Oracle WebLogic Server. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 5.3 (Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/13/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-21560 represents a critical availability impact flaw within Oracle WebLogic Server's Core component, 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 network protocols and demonstrates how legacy communication mechanisms can become attack vectors for unauthorized system compromise. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers require minimal prerequisites to leverage this flaw, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where such servers are often exposed to untrusted networks.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves the T3 and IIOP protocol handlers within WebLogic Server, which are legacy communication protocols designed for internal Java-based application interactions. These protocols, while functional for legitimate internal communications, have become attack surfaces when improperly secured or exposed to external networks. The flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to establish connections and potentially manipulate server resources without requiring valid credentials or prior access permissions. This represents a fundamental breakdown in the server's authentication and authorization mechanisms, creating pathways for malicious actors to disrupt service availability.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations deploying Oracle WebLogic Server in production environments. The partial denial of service impact means that successful exploitation can render portions of the application server unavailable to legitimate users, potentially affecting business-critical applications and services. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.3 reflects the moderate severity of the availability impact, though the ease of exploitation means that organizations should treat this as a high-priority concern regardless of their specific threat landscape. The lack of requirement for user interaction or privilege escalation makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited automatically by malicious actors scanning for vulnerable systems.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to restrict access to WebLogic Server ports, particularly those associated with T3 and IIOP protocols. The recommended approach involves disabling these protocols entirely when not required for legitimate business operations, as outlined in the CWE-692 vulnerability pattern related to incomplete mediation of dangerous features. Additionally, implementing strict firewall rules to limit access to these ports from trusted IP addresses only can significantly reduce the attack surface. The ATT&CK framework's T1190 technique for exploitation of remote services aligns with this vulnerability's characteristics, emphasizing the need for proper network access controls and protocol management. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any remaining exposed services, while applying Oracle's security patches promptly upon release to address this and related vulnerabilities.