CVE-2022-35282 in WebSphere Application Server
Summary
by MITRE • 09/28/2022
IBM WebSphere Application Server 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0 is vulnerable to server-side request forgery (SSRF). By sending a specially crafted request, an attacker with local network access could exploit this vulnerability to obtain sensitive data.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/29/2022
IBM WebSphere Application Server versions 7.0, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0 contain a critical server-side request forgery vulnerability that allows attackers with local network access to extract sensitive information from the underlying system. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-918, which specifically addresses server-side request forgery flaws where applications fail to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied input that is used to construct HTTP requests to external resources. The flaw exists in how the application server processes certain HTTP headers and parameters that are intended to specify external endpoints or resources, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to redirect requests to internal systems that should remain isolated from external access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the WebSphere server's request processing pipeline. When legitimate users submit requests containing specific header values or parameter combinations, the server fails to properly sanitize these inputs before using them to establish connections to external resources. This allows attackers to craft requests that bypass normal access controls and potentially reach internal services that are typically protected by network segmentation or firewall rules. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires minimal privileges to exploit, as local network access is sufficient to initiate the attack vector.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to organizations using affected WebSphere versions, as it could enable attackers to access internal network resources that are not directly exposed to the internet. Attackers could potentially enumerate internal services, access sensitive configuration files, or even escalate their privileges by leveraging the ability to communicate with internal systems. The impact extends beyond simple data theft, as successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise or facilitate further attacks within the internal network infrastructure. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing attachments and T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage, as the attack leverages legitimate application functionality to achieve unauthorized access.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches for all affected versions, implementing strict input validation for HTTP headers and parameters, and deploying network segmentation controls to limit access to internal services. Additionally, organizations should monitor network traffic for suspicious patterns indicating potential exploitation attempts and consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious requests. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and the principle of least privilege in application security, as it highlights how seemingly benign functionality can be weaponized when proper security controls are not implemented. Organizations should also conduct thorough security assessments of their WebSphere deployments to identify any additional vulnerabilities that may exist within their application server configurations.