CVE-2023-21960 in WebLogic Server
Summary
by MITRE • 04/18/2023
Vulnerability in the Oracle WebLogic Server product of Oracle Fusion Middleware (component: Core). Supported versions that are affected are 12.2.1.3.0 and 12.2.1.4.0. Difficult to exploit vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Oracle WebLogic Server. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of Oracle WebLogic Server accessible data as well as unauthorized read access to a subset of Oracle WebLogic Server accessible data and unauthorized ability to cause a partial denial of service (partial DOS) of Oracle WebLogic Server. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 5.6 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/11/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-21960 represents a critical security flaw within Oracle WebLogic Server, specifically within the Core component of Oracle Fusion Middleware. This vulnerability affects version 12.2.1.3.0 and 12.2.1.4.0, which are part of Oracle's enterprise application server suite widely deployed in corporate environments. The flaw manifests as a remote code execution vulnerability that can be exploited by unauthenticated attackers without requiring any valid credentials or prior access to the system. The vulnerability's classification as difficult to exploit indicates that while the attack vector is accessible over the network, it requires specific conditions or circumstances that may not be easily achievable in all environments.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the WebLogic Server's handling of HTTP requests, allowing attackers to manipulate the server's behavior through crafted malicious requests. This flaw enables unauthorized access to the server's underlying data and functionality, creating multiple attack vectors that can be leveraged for various malicious activities. The vulnerability's impact extends across confidentiality, integrity, and availability domains, as demonstrated by the CVSS 3.1 score of 5.6, which reflects the severity of potential consequences. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to perform unauthorized data modifications including updates, inserts, and deletes, while simultaneously gaining read access to sensitive data that should otherwise be restricted.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-21960 poses significant risks to organizations relying on Oracle WebLogic Server for their mission-critical applications and services. The partial denial of service capability means that attackers can disrupt server operations and potentially impact business continuity, while the data access permissions create opportunities for information theft and system compromise. Organizations utilizing these specific versions of WebLogic Server face elevated risk of unauthorized access to sensitive business data, configuration information, and potentially complete system control. The vulnerability's network accessibility makes it particularly dangerous as attackers can exploit it from remote locations without requiring physical access to the network infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patch deployment from Oracle, as the company has released security updates specifically addressing this flaw. Organizations should implement network segmentation and firewall rules to limit access to WebLogic Server instances, particularly restricting HTTP access to trusted networks only. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by ensuring that WebLogic Server components operate with minimal required permissions and that access controls are properly configured. Additionally, organizations should deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious HTTP traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any potential exploitation indicators and to verify that mitigation measures remain effective against evolving attack techniques. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which addresses "Improper Input Validation," and maps to ATT&CK techniques involving command and control communications, privilege escalation, and data manipulation within enterprise environments.